


The King And The Servant

by narniaandbearejectfan1



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Adventure, Betrayal, F/M, Fantasy, Kings & Queens, Minor Violence, Romance, Royalty, Servants, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 05:11:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 130,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7209074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narniaandbearejectfan1/pseuds/narniaandbearejectfan1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashley is just a servant in Cair Paravel. So what happens when she meets the High King and sparks fly?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Late and Dead

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia, only my characters and plot line.

Prologue

_"STOP! PLEASE STOP!" I cry out. It grabs my chin harshly and forces it up before it gets out a long, sharp knife. It slices my arm roughly, effectively causing more blood to flow from my body. I cry out some more in pain. It tosses the knife back into its sheathe then before it turns around and leaves me alone. I hear the door slam closed as the keys rattle in the heavy lock again. I wish I can die. That is all I want to do right now; die! I don't even know what I did wrong to deserve this type of punishment. Maybe this is what Aslan was talking about. I am losing hope in myself. I want to give in and just die. I cringe internally at the thought, worried that if I cringe physically I might just injure myself even worse. I stop suddenly as soon as I hear the main entrance close. It must have left._

_"Yes!" I whisper quietly to myself. I can survive just a bit longer as long as I don't think about my aching leg and the horrible, bloody puddle that I'm lying in right now. I close my eyes in hope of a little bit of sleep before the help arrives. It works, within seconds I'm lost in my dreams._

* * *

 

A pink sky, blue grass, a tree made of spiced wine, and, of course, let's not forget about the hundreds of butterflies that look like mini griffons fluttering around me as my long, black hair blows in the wind, which seems to taste and smell like vanilla. And this is why I love dreaming. It means I can have a few hours to myself in which I can fall deep into my subconscious and not have to worry about the outside world. Of course I have to eventually wake up though. My dream fades slowly as light pushes eagerly under my eyelids. My body starts to heat up also and I can't help my forehead's movements as it creases with curiosity. How peculiar. My eyes open of their own accord, immediately directing themselves over to the surprisingly light window. Yanking the soft, bed sheets off of me, hurriedly I drop out of bed and sprint over to my lit up curtains. I wrench them open only to get flooded with warm sunlight – the sun! It's real? But wait doesn't that mean...they're here! The squeal that leaves my lips is almost non-human as I bounce over to my slippers which are over in the corner of the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch my reflection in the mirror. I grimace as I turn to it fully. My long, brown hair is in one large entanglement. What a way to ruin the perfect morning. I get out my wooden comb and drag it harshly through the large knots. It takes me a few minutes but in the end it's straight.

Walking over to my window, I glance out into sunshine filled forest. For the first time in my life, the trees are covered in patches of green. What's that stuff called again? Oh, that's right, leaves. The water in the Great River is bubbling ferociously and slightly overflowing onto more green stuff that is on the ground. I do believe they call that grass. There's only one problem about all of this though and that is the fact that I can see everything perfectly. I'm guessing that it's around eight in the morning which would mean that I'm two hours late for work. As a result, I run over to the closet and pull out my black and white servant uniform. I shove it on as quickly as I can and put my hair up into a very messy bun. Once it's tied back with the ribbon, I rush into my kitchen and grab the closest eatable thing I see. I take a huge bite out of it, but spit it immediately back out again. That apple is rotten. I toss it into our waste container before I rush out the front door. I go to run over to the stable, but my feet freeze as soon as I step outside. My eyes do a double take. There's no snow – anywhere. The forest is made up of greens and browns. My mouth falls open and I can't help but bend down and look closely at the fluffy stuff that they call grass. Will it hurt me? It looks sort of pointy. I bend over slightly and with a shaky hand touch the grass. It feels a little bit like...actually I can't describe what it feels like. It's so different. Ashley, work? The grass and trees are out of my mind as quick as lightning. I rush over to the stable that is at the back of our little, stone cottage and rip open the gate. The huff that Crystal gives me is not at all a pleasant one.

"Be careful, Ashley! I'm not a haystack!" she snaps at me.

"I don't have time for this, Crystal. I'm two hours late for work!" I argue back, instantly shutting her up. She lets out a quick breath and starts running immediately, rather cautiously at first though I might add, since she's not used to grass and that brown stuff, which I do believe is called dirt. I ride as fast as I can through the bright, green woods to Cair Paravel, trying not to get distracted by all the new and exciting things that are around me. I was born into the white, winter world of Narnia so this is extremely thrilling for me. The main thing that keeps me focused is knowing that if I don't get to work now I will most likely be fired. Oh joy. Starstone counts on me to get the castle clean and if I am not there then nothing will ever get done.

It isn't long before my eyes grab hold of the large, stone walls and golden gates of the castle; the already open gates I might add on. They should be closed when I get here in the morning. A light, almost airy, sound reaches my ears suddenly. I know that noise from anywhere. "NO, NO, NO! Not today!" I scream as the gates start to close. No one is stupid enough to leave the gates wide open with the White Witch nearby. I kick Crystals side roughly, trying to speed her up.

"Come on girl!" I encourage. The gates are so close! My hands get clammy holding onto her silky mane as we speed forwards. We can do this. I shove my body weight forwards against her bare back before we leap through the air. Time seems to slow down as we touch down on the stone path inside the gates just as a massive bang protrudes through the air. My body jumps of it's own accord. I can't believe we just made that.

"Thank you, Aslan!" I exclaim while jumping down off of Crystal. With shaky hands, I lead her through the quiet, empty streets until we reach the royal stable. I open her gate once we're there and lead her in before topping up her food and water to make sure that there is enough for the day.

"Well done, Crystal!" I tell her proudly once all the formalities are out of the way.

"Thank you. You're already late enough though; don't add another twenty minutes onto it," she warns me while nudging me towards her gate with her nose.

"Thanks, girl," I say whilst giving her a kiss on the nose. I close the large, wooden gate and lock it before running up the ivory stairs of the castle.

"Ashley." Oh no. I freeze mid step. My eyes scan the staircase before they come to rest on a set of hooves. Oh no. My head darts up, my bottom lip finding its way between my teeth, as two green eyes pierce into my very essence. Don't freak out. Just relax. Play it safe.

"Good morning, Starstone. It's such a beautiful day today, isn't it? That sun is just amazing! We should all be outside today! Party time! I'm going to go now." Seriously? Not what I meant. That was word vomit at it's finest. My legs carry me up the stairs and semi around the centaur just as I feel an arm wrap around my stomach and pull me back.

"Not so fast, Ashley." Fearfully, I look up at her. Her light brown (almost blond) hair hangs down over her shoulders in soft waves and her forehead is creased into a frown. "Do you realize what time it is?" she asks me.

"No, I don't," I answer with a shrug. It's the truth; I don't know what the time is. All I know is that I'm late...very late. "I'm sorry, Starstone, I – "

"You have never been late before, Ashley, and I will not permit you to start now," she says. I can tell just from the tone of her voice that she is not at all happy with me. Her eyes don't falter their glare for even a moment either. I have no choice but to look away."Do you even realise how much we have to do before _they_ get here?" Ah, it makes sense now. She's worried we're not going to have the place organised in time for the arrival of the new Kings and Queens. Her worry is completely unnecessary though. Most of the staff here in Cair Paravel have been trained since they were children. We could have this whole castle cleaned within a day if we had to. In fact, this might be the day to show her how skilled we all really are.

"It will be fine, Starstone; I promise. The sun only just came up. We have at least another day or two before _they_ get here," I say. She looks worried. Very worried. "We will get this place clean before then. I will make sure of it." Her lips break into a smile and to be honest I'm a little scared of it. Starstone rarely smiles.

"Yes, you will because I'm leaving you in charge while I go to Aslan's camp." Wait – what? I'm sure my face looks like I just saw a ghost.

"You're leaving _me_ in charge?" Is she crazy?

"Well yes. You're responsible – most of the time – and you've worked here for most of your life. You know what needs to be done. I don't care what you do or how you do it as long as this place is spotless by the time I return." The shock switches into excitement almost immediately.

"Um, I mean, sure, I'm honoured that you've asked me. I'm just wondering why you are going to Aslan's camp though? I mean you're Head Servant, shouldn't you probably be staying here to keep everything organised?" I reply with furrowed brows.

"You're capable of it. And besides, didn't you hear the horns go off this morning?" The horns went off? I slowly start to shake my head.

"No, I didn't sorry."

"Well Oreius and I got word that they need some more nurses, so I'm going to go and attend to the wounded at the camp and since Oreius is head of the guards he is required to be there also," she tells me as she organises a bag that I had failed to spot earlier.

"We will be back in a few days," a booming, yet calm, voice adds on. I turn to Oreius with a smile.

"Sure, just make sure come back alive – both of you," I say as I walk over for a hug.

"Please take care of the castle. Oh, and I beg, please don't burn it down," he pleads with me as I pull away. I grin while remembering a little accident I had when I was twelve years old. Yes, I had almost burned down the kitchen while trying to make choc-chip cookies, but it wasn't like the whole castle lit up in flames – mind you I have a very strong feeling that Starstone thought it might – plus no one got hurt – well, besides Oreius, of course, who suffered a few burns while trying to rescue me – but no one died which has got to be a good thing.

"I promise I will take care of the castle. I also promise not to try cooking." I smile widely at him and hold out my pinkie.

"Deal," he agrees, while holding out his pinkie. We shake on it, both of us smiling.

"So just to confirm with you; I need the throne room organised, the bed chambers and bathrooms finished, and the castle pristine clean. Have I made myself clear?"

"Ye...yes, Starstone. Crystal clear. We will have this castle perfect for their arrival. I promise. We will make it the best it has ever been." I hope.

"Thank you, I knew I could count on you. Now go and get to work. We'll see you in a few days." With those words they both head down the stairs and into the town. Alright, first things first. Going through the front door, I make a left and follow the glorious hallway along until I reach the main hall. Most of the staff are gathered in here by the looks of it. I guess Starstone had called a meeting earlier. Nervously, I walk over to the front of the hall and turn to face everyone.

"Could I have everyone's attention please?" The hall is silent in a second. Good. "As some of you may know, Starstone and Oreius have left to go to Aslan's camp. They have left me in charge so I just have some quick notes for everyone if you all don't mind."

"Of course not, Ash. Continue," one of the faun guards reply.

"Thank you. Well I need servants making sure that the Monarchies bedrooms are ready and prepared, that the Throne Room is ready to go, and that the castle is in tip top shape. Chef's, make sure that you check all the food and throw out anything that's older than three days, ensure that the menus are all in order, and that the waitresses know exactly what is happening and how the tables are to be set. Guards, ensure that you know your positions and that all your weapons are sharpened and all your armour is polished. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes!" they all shout in clear unison.

"Good. So everyone can go and do what they need to now. If you have any questions don't hesitate to come and see me," I offer with a smile. Everyone heads out the door then besides a few guards who are already on standby. We're sure to have attacks on the castle from those who are left behind once the witch dies, so the guards are already prepared for anything that could possibly go wrong. I chance a quick glance at the silver sundial on the wall before gritting my teeth. Nine thirty. I really should start working. I head over to the entrance hall again before dashing up the central marble staircase.

I reach the first, ruby coloured hallway in record time, passing by plenty of guards and servants in the process before stopping at the public bath chamber door. My hand reaches out to open it before I freeze. I'm technically Head Servant for the next few days. Maybe, just maybe, I can choose the area I want to work in. Hmm, I wonder if Jemila would like to swap with me. The youngest Queens bedroom for a public bath chamber – probably not, considering that being able to prepare one of the four royal bed chambers is like winning one million gold crescents, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to try.

I walk over to the ivory staircase hurriedly before going up them to the next level. Once I'm at the white hallway, I go over to the maple double-doors and open them. My jaw drops to the ground of its own accord as I take in my surroundings. I have yet to see any of these bed chambers since Starstone has had me cleaning all the bath chambers, so seeing it now somehow makes everything feel much more real. The walls are made of a light wood with engravings of arches all over them. On the north wall is a huge, queen-sized, canopy bed while on the opposite wall to the bed is an old, stone fireplace with a roasting fire baking within it. In the corner of the room is a pine desk that houses a mirror and hair supplies while above the desk is a big painting of a beautiful, blue river flowing right through the centre of a bright, green forest. There's also a large, glass, double door heading out onto a gorgeous balcony that overlooks the Eastern Ocean. Next to the bed is another maple door that obviously leads into the bath chamber and walk-in closet. I notice the one servant that I am after then. She's setting up the draping around the bed frame. Smiling as I enter, I walk slowly over to her.

"Hi, Jemila," I say, trying to be polite. She completely ignores me. I wouldn't say Jemila and I are very close friends. She tends to be a bit standoffish towards me and I get the feeling she doesn't like me very much. They have been rumours spread about me on the odd occasion and they have always seemed to stem from her. "Jemila?" I repeat in a questioning tone. She looks up at me with her blue eyes and rolls them.

"What do you want?" she asks sourly. How should I ask her this?

"Well...um...I was...um." I have no idea how to begin.

"Are you going to tell me what you want or just stand there stuttering like the moron that you are?" she questions me rather rudely. I cannot believe that she just called me a moron...actually I can believe it, but saying it to my face?

"Well, I was just wondering if you would be so kind as to swap areas with me," I ask her, trying to be friendly; with great difficulty I might add.

"Why in Narnia would I want to swap areas with you?" she snaps at me. There's no way that she's going to want to swap areas with me if I tell her that it's a public bath chamber. It seems a bit of a lie is in order.

"Because my area is the High Kings bed chamber," I state simply. She looks me dead in the eye for a moment before a huge smile spreads across her face.

"Wait! You're willing to swap the High Kings bed chamber for the youngest Queens bed chamber?" she questions excitedly. I shrug my shoulders at her.

"I feel like designing a girl's room today. Not a boy's room." She smiles wider.

"Really?" she asks excitedly.

"Really!" I reply enthusiastically. She has a right to be excited. I'm not even lucky enough to clean the High Kings bath chamber, let alone his bed chamber. She gasps.

"Thank you, Ashley! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I smile at her.

"So should I assume that that is a yes then?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Well then? What are you waiting for?" I ask, while raising my left eyebrow.

"Nothing! I'm just so excited to do something for the High King. Wait until he finds out that I was the one who set up his bedroom!" she exclaims while bounding out of the room like a kangaroo, her blond curls bouncing in unison. I smile after her. I'm going to get into so much trouble later but it's so worth it. Once she leaves, I close the doors and lock them before I turn around to see what I have to work with. The glass doors are already spotlessly clean and the draping on the canopy is hung properly up. At least Jemila has done something right. I might start with the bed; that seems like the most important thing to get done. I pick up the white sheets that are sitting in a pile on the floor and spread them across the heather mattress. After tucking them in tightly on the sides, I very carefully drape the pink and purple silk doona over the top of them. There are stacks of pink, purple, and silver pillows too that must need to be placed on the bed so I start placing them in a neat order on top of it. Perfect! Now what's next. Lets do shelves.

I pick up the wooden box that's sitting on the ground and take out all the dolls and stuffed animals, placing them neatly on the maple shelves. Right; now the closet. I walk over to a wooden container that looks to be full of dresses before I take them over to the closet and neatly hang them up in colour order. I then organise the shoes and hair supplies so that it's all nice and neat. Once that's done, I head back out into the main room. A container of fresh fruit sits on a side table along with a glass bowl. I'm guessing that goes on the bedside table. I pick up the bowl, place it gently on the table, and put in the oranges, apples, bananas, lemons, pineapple, and strawberries. I throw the wooden crate with the rest before spotting a rolled up rug on the ground. I roll it out so that it's spread across the floor in front of the fireplace before I walk over to the double doors and look around. Everything's perfect. Great. I close the double doors behind me before I run down the stairs and check to make sure everyone's working. Yes, everything seems to be in order. Maybe I'll just have an early mark.

"Ashley, how could you do that to me! You said you had the High King's bed chamber not the public bath chamber," Jemila complains suddenly. I turn around and can't help but slightly chuckle as she runs up to me.

"Sorry, but that bath chamber is the worst in Narnia. You couldn't pay me one million golden crescents to clean it," I tell her between laughs. I still am amazed that she even believed me.

"It's not funny!" she shouts angrily before stomping her foot down onto the tile ground. Of course that only makes me laugh harder though.

"I'm having an early mark. Bye, Jemila!" I chuckle before walking down the stairs and out the front door. I go past the large, ivory pillars before I head over to the royal stable and jump up onto Crystal. I bring her to a gentle stroll then as we leave the stable.

"What's so funny?" Crystal asks in her horsey voice.

"Oh just Jemila. I tricked her into letting me clean and organise the youngest Queens bed chamber," I explain. She makes a sound that resembles a horsey laugh and starts trotting a bit faster.

"Only you would do that, Ashley," she says. I smile as we continue our trot through the old, stone town. The town is fairly quiet today. I see a few creatures around, but mostly it's just us which is highly unusual. We ride through the golden gates, although to be honest, I'm not paying much attention. For some strange reason I have a sudden urge to run over to Aslan's camp and make sure that everything's okay. I have an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach that something horrible is going to happen tonight. _Hoot, hoot._ I jump, my eyes scanning the trees for whatever made the noise. I spot a barn owl in a nearby tree and smile. Of course it's only an owl. We ride on for the remainder of the trip in silence. When I get to my stone cottage, I jump off Crystal and lead her to the back of the house. She steers herself into the stable and I lock her up, making sure that she has plenty to drink and eat for the night.

That feeling in my stomach only intensifies with every step I take towards the front door. I grab the silver key from under the door mat and slide it quietly into the lock. Turning it easily, I open the front door only to get surrounded by the sweet aroma of newly cut flowers. Sighing, I walk into my country-like dining room and look at the old, oak, dining table. That's weird, I don't remember putting a vase on the table. Sitting in the dead centre of the dining table is a white, silver, and blue glass vase. In the vase is the most beautiful bunch of flowers I have ever seen. Roses, freesias, daisies, lavender, tulips, carnations, and lilies; in other words all my favourites. I walk over to smell them but stop short. There's a little note on the vase. I pick it up and read it.

_Dear Ashley,_

_Thank you so much for looking after the castle._

_We really do appreciate it._

_We are truly thankful to have someone trustworthy like you around._

_Love Oreius and Starstone._

I smile.

Oreius and Starstone are the closest things I have to parents since the White Witch killed mine when I was fifteen. They always give me bright, happy flowers when they are really thankful for something; in this case it's looking after the castle while they're away. I do hope the White Witch gets killed instead of hurting either of them. Slowly my legs carry me into the kitchen. I know something is going to happen tonight; I just have to work out what. A yawn decides to make an escape then, my hand going to my mouth to cover it. Weird, I don't feel that tired. Oh well, I had best get dinner started. Walking over to the cooling station, the only thing I can find is pavendar; the fish it tiny though. Hmm, I might have some fresh fruit with it. I head outside to the nearby orchard and grab two red apples, two oranges, and one lemon. Clumsily I walk back inside, almost dropping an orange and apple along the way, before I head back into the kitchen. I put the juicy fruits on the stone bench just as I hear the pitter patter of small feet running into the room. The colours of the flowers drag my attention away from the food I'm cooking and instead onto their beautiful petals. Oreius better not get himself killed! Ah! What's that? I look down to see what's grabbed onto my leg and smile as I see two little arms wrapped around it.

"Hi, Bella," I greet as I pick her up and give her a big hug. She giggles as I start tickling her stomach.

"Stop, Ashy!" she begs between laughter. I smile at her and do as she says before carefully placing her back onto her feet.

"So how was your day?" I ask as I get some pine wood and throw it into the fire place.

"It was good. Zara came over and we played with Mr. Snuggles," she tells me while I get the fire started.

"Really? Did you and Zara have fun?" I question as I place the fish on a plate and grab another one for Bella. I then continue to place the plate on the holder over the fire so that it can start cooking. The smell of fish overpowers the sweet aroma of the flowers almost immediately. I sigh. It reminds me of my mother's cooking. My vision gets blurred over slightly as I think about her and father.

"Yes, we had lots of fun! Mr. Snuggles married Miss. Boopleberry and Oreius came over and gave you flowers and told me to make sure that they got fresh water and – " As she tells me all this, I flip the pavendar over, making sure that I don't burn it. I miss my parents so much. I remember my mother standing in the kitchen cooking pavendar. I would always smile and run up to her for a hug. I miss her hugs; so comforting and warm. Father used to fish in the Great River outside the dining room window; smiling as he waved to me. I would wave back joyfully. I flip the pavendar over again. Then they had to go and get killed while trying to protect Bella and I from the White Witch. I hate her. I flip the pavendar over again and take it away from the roaring, red flames of the fire. Goodness, that smells good.

"It sounds like you had lots of fun," I comment as Bella finishes speaking. I have no idea what she said, but anyway. I get out my wooden chopping board and cut up the fresh fruit, being extremely careful as to not cut off my fingers in the process. I place it on the plate with the fish and serve up Bella's dinner before I hand over her plate and grab mine. We sit down at the old, antique table then and both eat in silence. My stomach grumbles happily as I give it what it wants. A burning sensation takes over my tongue and I spit the fish out immediately. That's hot! Probably not a good idea to scoff down fish when it has just come off the fire. I finish in record time and get up. I walk over to the kitchen basin, which is filled with fresh water, and wash my plate, knife, fork, and chopping board along with Bella's. My body starts to slowly break into goosebumps before I start shivering from the cold. I start the fire again and grab one of my favourite books, Man and His Ways, and sit quietly down in front of the fire while Bella goes up to bed. The heat radiates off of my back, heating me up almost immediately. I read for about three hours before I actually begin to get tired. I get up and put the book back on the mahogany bookshelf before I grab my lavender-scented candle and light it. Getting a bucket of water, I throw the contents all over the fire, making it go out. Slowly I trudge down the wooden hallway over to my bed chambers.

My room is so insignificant compared to the royal bed chambers in the castle. Plain, wooden walls with a simple oak, hairdressing table and heather mattress double bed; you can bet that it probably looks like a dungeon cell to them. I slowly put my pyjamas on and jump onto the soft, heather mattress. I close my eyes, wishing for the darkness to envelope me and take me to dream land, but instead the pit in my stomach gets stronger. Something is going to happen. Perhaps a quick stroll might help me sleep. I get out of bed and put my white slippers and blue morning gown on before walking through the hallway and heading out the front door. The woods are extremely quiet tonight; too quiet. The only sound I can hear is the slight hoot of a barred owl in a nearby pine tree. I walk on through the forest until I reach a steep, rocky mountain. I look at it curiously for a second before I start climbing up the rock face. I don't know why, I just feel like I need to. When I reach the top, I see the Stone Table.

Curiosity piques up in me so I glance around. That's when my brown eyes meet the side of her head. She's holding a stone knife with both of her pure, white hands and her hair's curled up into an elegant design; in fact if I didn't know how evil she is, I probably would think her lovely due to it. Her dress is long and dark and I feel my skin start to crawl as I study her. I gasp suddenly as she turns her head to her right and duck my head down a little bit more so that I remain hidden. It wouldn't do for anyone to catch me here. I chance a look to see who else is here only to notice a loud and rowdy bunch of creatures surrounding her. Minotaur's, Hags, Minobaur's, Were-Wolves, Ghouls, Dwarves, Ogres, Trolls, Wolves, and every other creature that can possibly be on the evil side is here with her. I climb up and over the edge of the cliff and quickly hide behind a, oh great, a thorn bush. How convenient! I look up at her then as she speaks in her chilling voice. "Ouch!" I yelp quietly while pulling a long, black, sharp thorn out of my hand. A drop of blood comes out as I slowly and carefully pull it out of my palm. It hurts; badly. I pick a maple leaf from the tree behind me and put it on the scar, trying to soothe the pain.

"The fool! The fool has come. Bind him fast," I hear a cold, evil voice say. I look up suddenly, my hand all but forgotten, and part the bushes carefully and quietly with my hands to make sure that nobody hears me. I look in the direction of the Stone Table and hope that my eyes are deceiving me. The High King of Kings! The Son of the Emperor over the sea! The Great Lion! Aslan! "Bind him I say!" the Witch repeats. Some of the dwarves walk over and start tying all four of his paws together. "Stop! Let him first be shaved," she bellows coldly. A roar of laughter comes up from the followers. No.

They all take out their knives and start cutting his mane. My eyes prickle with tears as I see his glorious, golden locks fall to the ground. When they're done, they all start jeering and teasing him. I'm waiting for him to suddenly pounce up and rip all their heads off, but he doesn't, in fact, he lets them do that to him which makes it all the more worse. "Muzzle him!" she sneers evilly. They put a muzzle over his mouth and drag him up the stairs, placing him on the Stone Table. The White Witch starts whetting her knife as she leans in closer to him and whispers something into his large, golden ear that makes his face drop. She holds the stone knife into the air after she's finished; the knife glitters in the candle light. She then brings her knife down and stabs the glorious, golden Lion.

Blood trickles down his side and lands on the table in large splats. I can't watch this anymore. I wipe away the tears that are freely falling down my cheeks with the back of my hand. How I wish I could kill her. See her die by my blade. All I want to do is scream, but I can't. I can't let them know I'm here. I take one more look at the glorious animal and start climbing down the cliff face. He's gone! The White Witch is going to kill everybody. There's no hope left for Narnia. I run through the forest and through the front door of my beautiful, old cottage before I race down the hallway and to my bed chamber. I dive onto my bed; my vision clouded and blurry. We're doomed! I let the tears fall and grab my pillow. I can't sleep so instead I spend the rest of the night crying into my already drenched pillow.


	2. Coronation

Aslan died exactly six hours, twenty minutes, and forty-six seconds ago, forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine. The plain, barky ceiling is staring back at me; it's dark colours tormenting me. I can't get the picture out of my head. The blood. The Great Lion. Dead. My eyes blur over again, a new round of tears are on there way it seems. I wipe another one off my cheek; my fingers only feeling the stickiness of old ones. I should stop crying, but I can't. Narnia is doomed! I pull my body up and cross my legs. My eyes land on the sunny curtains. The sun is already up; bright and happy. I slam my head back down against my saturated pillow and let out a loud groan. I'm late for work – again. I sit up, my legs stiff, and wipe the tears away from my eyes with my wet arm.

My legs whack themselves against the edge of the bed as I find my feet. Shakily I waddle over to the closet and pull out my servant dress. I grab my silver shoes and slide them on before glancing at my parent's, old, pure-silver sundial that's hanging on the wall. It reads nine am. I'm hungry. Time for breakfast. Trudging tiredly down the hallway, I find myself at the cooling station within a minute. I can feel fresh tears welling up in my eyes again as I open the large container and pull the fresh peaches out of it. The tears run freely down my cheeks again as I close the lid. This is so stupid. Stop crying!

I open the cupboard in the opposite side of the room and pull out a glass bowl. It's almost empty, so I pour the rest of the container into the bowl. The sweet smell of the peaches is beautiful. I sit down at the dining table slowly. The first thing I see is the vase of fresh flowers. My eyes go back down immediately. Bad idea! Aslan has been killed which probably means that the Witch is going to be setting up for battle. This also means that Oreius is probably going to be fighting soon. I finish eating and get up off the oak chair I'm sitting on. I put the bowl away and take another glance at the vase. I do hope Oreius is going to be okay. I don't think I can handle losing another dad-like figure.

"Bella, I'm going to work!" No answer. She must still be asleep. I walk quietly up the stairs and wipe some fresh tears away before opening up my little sister's door. The door opens with a creak and sure enough Bella's cuddled up in a ball on the bed. Her long, black hair's spread widely across her cotton pillow. She's cuddling up happily to Mr. Snuggles. She'll be fine. The smile on her face says it all. I walk silently towards her and give her cheek a quick kiss before I feel her shuffle around. She yawns loudly as she slowly and tiredly opens her big, brown eyes. "Good morning, Bella." She smiles sweetly up at me before sitting up in her bed and stretching all her limbs.

"Hi, Ashy," she greets before yawning again. She leans against me and wraps her arms around my waist in a hug. I smile.

"I have to go to work. Are you going to be okay for the day?" I ask. I already know the answer.

"Yes, I'll be fine." I nod my head and release her arms from around my waist.

"Okay then. I love you and I'll see you tonight," I tell her before giving her forehead a kiss and leaving her alone.

"I love you too," she adds on before I close the door. I run down the staircase and am instantly hit with thoughts of the battle.

Stupid White Witch! Why did Aslan let her do it? I just don't understand! If she hurts Oreius I swear I'll track her down and stab her multiple times in the heart! I really wish I didn't have work. I don't know how much I'm going to be able to handle today.

"You seem awfully distracted today." Hmm? Oh right, Crystal.

"Just a bit. I'm not in the mood for jests though." I grab onto her reigns and jump up onto her back, just as she starts running. We ride through the bustling woods to Cair Paravel, dodging dead trees and pedestrians as they all walk around with a spring in their step.

Everyone's cheerful today it seems. It probably has something to do with the fact that it's the second sunny day in more than one hundred years. I ride through, smiling at little kids as they splash around joyfully in the Great River, some of them even waving. For the first time in my life, I actually hear a chorus of happy birds all joyfully singing their own song. It's really too bad that none of those creatures realise that the Top Geyser, Aslan, got killed by the White Witch last night.

"Well won't you look at that," Crystal says. Look at what? My eyes glance around at the town before me before they widen. The usually quiet town is a bustle as well. Everywhere you look there are creatures selling and buying things or dwarves making swords and armour. I ride up to the marble stairs and tie Crystal up to a large, ivory pillar. "I will be two seconds. Just stay right here," I tell her before I walk up the stairs. As soon as I enter through the doors, I'm immediately swarmed with servants.

"Ashley, where are the crowns?"

"Ashley, what throne belongs to which king or queen."

"Ashley, the dining table hasn't got enough room for all the food!" I don't know what to say. I have no idea what Starstone's intentions for the coronation are! Well, there goes my day off. Right, first things first.

"Can I have your attention please?" I ask, loud enough so that everyone can hear. The talking and questions don't cease. "Um, can you please be quiet?" I beg a little bit louder than last time. They all just keep talking. Right, time to take drastic measures. "Shut your mouths and listen!" I bellow. The room goes quiet at once. "Thank you," I say pleased. Now, how should I go about this? I've seen Starstone do it heaps. What does she usually do? Oh, right! "Okay, one question at a time starting with Serana," I say. Hopefully her question, as usual, will be an easy enough question to answer.

"Ash, I was just curious as to when we have to have everything completed; as in crowns and thrones and stuff?" she asks, curiosity mixed in with the quiet whisper. They all look at me expectantly.

"Um...well," I stutter out. How on earth am I supposed to know that? So much for the easy question. "If we are able to, can we please have it finished by this afternoon?" I try to say. Is it obvious now that I have no idea what I'm talking about? I hope that's what they want to hear. There's a quiet murmur of agreement as they all nod. I let out a long sigh of relief. Good; one question down, a bunch more to go. This pattern continues for about an hour and a half. Everyone seems to be happy by the end of it so I suppose I did it right? "I'm going to check on the throne room, Emolise." I don't wait for a reply from her and instead walk straight over to the throne room.

Upon entrance through the big, golden doors, my jaw hits the ground. It's beautiful. The servants have completely cleaned the ivory roof; it's sparkling like diamonds as the sun comes shining through at this precise moment. They have hung up pretty, peacock feathers on the west wall and have completely and utterly cleaned the glass doors that look out towards the Eastern ocean. The balcony outside the doors has been brushed and re-painted. There are colourful banners hanging down from the edge of the balcony for all to see also.

The best part though would have to be the four, gold, polished thrones sitting in a row along the North wall. They really are beautiful. I walk up to them. I know the exact order in which the thrones should be sat from left to right. It should go the youngest King, followed by the High King, then the eldest Queen, and lastly the youngest Queen. I wonder what they're going to look like? And I certainly hope their names are simple. If they're too hard I won't be able to remember them. Then I would have to go up to the King or Queen and embarrassingly ask what their name is and I would look like a complete fool. Then they might fire me, and I'll starve –

"Ashley!" Did someone call me? I look over my shoulder and watch Malina with interest as she bolts up to me before grabbing me. "Ashley! I'm so glad I found you!" Malina exclaims excitedly, while pulling me into a tight hug. Malina's one of my closest friends. I've been friends with her for as long as I can remember. I suppose you can call her my sister, the main difference being that I'm a Daughter of Eve and she's a faun. She has short, black hair and shining, green eyes. "I thought that maybe you would be in the abandoned hallway or somewhere crazy like that," she adds on. I raise an eyebrow. The abandoned hallway? Why would she think I was there?

"Malina! Calm down!" I say with a smile, "Take deep breaths; now tell me what's going on." I don't know how she can be so excited, what with Aslan dead and everything.

"They're here! They're here! They're here!" she squeals while jumping up and down like the crazy faun that she is. They can't be. The White Witch; dead! She got beaten by...amateurs! My face must show what I'm thinking for she stops jumping and squealing and grabs me by my shoulders. "What's wrong? It looks like you've just about gone into shock," she asks me.

"Aslan too?" It must be a weird thing to ask her that since she doesn't know about his death. She tilts her head slightly to the right and raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, of course he is. And, I must say, he's even more amazing and glorious in person! – or lion anyway." She laughs slightly at her own joke before looking back at me. "Are you alright, Ash? You're starting to look pale," she adds on worriedly. He's alive! Narnia's saved. No one is going to die! We're all saved. I take one last look at Malina, who is looking at me extremely confused, and run from the most beautiful hall I've ever seen.

I sprint as fast as I can down towards the entrance before I stop at one of the many glass windows in the hallway and look out. There, in the very centre of the town, stands The Lion. He really is alive! He is also completely surrounded by creatures. A sigh escapes my lips before I continue running and, after what feels like an eternity, I arrive. The crowd is massive; obviously due to the four children who are standing with Aslan. I shove my way through the masses of creatures only to get stopped by a pair of strong, muscular, and, very familiar, arms.

"Oreius! Let me through!" I screech at him. A quick glance up at his face tells me all I need to know. They did fight this morning. I can't believe I didn't hear the horn.

"Sorry, Ashley, no one's allowed through." Wait, did he just tell me no?

"Oreius! You didn't see Aslan get stabbed in the heart with a stone knife. I need to see him right now!" I command him angrily. He shrugs his broad shoulders and lifts his arm the tiniest bit, just enough for me to be able to see a gold mane, then drops it back down.

"You've seen him," he states simply. I narrow my eyes.

"Fine! I'll figure out my own way to get through," I snap while turning around and walking away. I will get to Aslan, no matter what it takes. I push and shove through the masses of crowds until I finally come out into a clearing. I look around me trying to find an entrance before my eyes land on a massive oak tree. Upon closer inspection, I notice large branches going all the way. A smile creeps up onto my face without permission. That's easy enough to climb. I grab onto the lowest branch and swing myself up until I'm high enough to see Aslan.

"Aslan! Aslan!" I shout out at the top of my lungs. He looks straight into my brown eyes and I automatically put on a pout. He smiles at me and holds up his large, golden paw, summoning me forward. Ha, take that Oreius! I climb back down the tree and shove through the masses of creatures – again. Bother all these creatures! I feel Oreius stop me again and look up at him with what I hope are narrowed eyes.

"Ash, don't even -" I cut him off by pointing at the majestic creature who's beckoning me again. He glances over his shoulder and sighs. "Fine," he surrenders. Finally!

"Aslan!" I scream as soon as I'm in the centre. I run forward and hug his mane, causing him to roll onto his side. He laughs his deep, majestic laugh and stands back up. I dig my face into his mane. "Aslan, I'm so happy to see you!" I exclaim, my vision getting blurred once more.

"As I am of you, Ashley," he says happily. He never stops smiling at me. I blink a few times, letting the tears flow freely down my cheeks and down over my dimples. "There's no need to cry, Dear One. The White Witch is dead and Narnia is free of her eternal winter. Everyone is safe and fine," he promises me. I grimace.

"I know! I'm just so happy that you're alive again," I explain, tears flowing rapidly down my cheeks. I dig my face into his warm, soft, silky, golden mane again.

"Well, I'm happy that you care for me that much," he whispers quietly in my ear. His whiskers tickle my cheek and ear and I giggle as a result. "Now, we have a coronation to attend," he says loudly and majestically, while standing up. I stand up too and grab onto his mane firmly before we walk every so slowly up to the marble steps. Oreius moves all the crowds out of the way for us so that there's a simple runway going up the stairs. Once we reach the top of the stairs, Aslan turns to me. "Starstone, I suspect, would like some help in the kitchen," he comments.

"I suppose you are right. Will I see you again, Aslan?" I ask, frowning.

"You will; I promise, Dear One." I walk away from him then, grimacing, and head straight for the kitchen.

"About time you walked in! Put your hair up into a bun please," Starstone commands. I hate having my hair up. It always does what it wants and never stays in the style I want it to. I take the white ribbon that's lying on the floor underneath the door and tie it into my hair so that it's up in the bun she wants. Whether it's neat or not, I'd rather not known. She had better be happy now.

"Ashley! We all saw you with Aslan! What did he say to you?" Malina asks excitedly while running up to me with all my friends; Kabella, Emolise, Cabigail, Mirasdean, Henrietté, Tamilla, and Killara. I smile widely. Well, seeing Aslan is definitely my biggest highlight of the day.

"Well, it was sort of a one-on-one conversation; I can't give too much away," I say with a smile. I know I shouldn't be smug, but it's so much fun watching their reactions. They're all wearing bright smiles on their faces, but it's not hard to see the envy hidden behind their eyes. I laugh.

"Girls, start putting things on the dining table please. Come on! This is the biggest thing that's ever going to happen in Cair Paravel! Chop, Chop!" Starstone commands us somewhat happily for her. Once she leaves us, we all start cracking up. There is nothing more entertaining than watching Starstone get excited. I spy a blue and white bowl, which contains a lot of Garden Salad, and exit into the bustling hallway. I look around once I'm in the Grand Hall only to notice a whole heap of creatures already packed into it. I grimace and can't help but feel a little bit disappointed with how things have turned out. We're going to be so busy working that we won't be able to see the crowning at all. I place the bowl of salad down on the salad table a little bit harder than I had originally planned and walk back out, but as I turn the corner I accidentally bash into someone. We both fall to the ground with loud thuds.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!" I apologise in a rush while standing up and offering out my hand. The person takes it and stands up with a big smile. I glance down at the person and quickly take them in. She's in a light-blue coronation dress. Her hair's short and dark-brown and has very neat, bouncy curls. She's quite short and has blue eyes. I have a feeling that I have just bumped into the youngest Queen. How embarrassing! I feel the heat rise up to my cheeks in mortification.

"That's okay. It was only an accident and no one got hurt," she assures me happily. I'm wide-eyed. She's fine and looks as if she's happy that I bashed her to the ground. Movement coming down the hallways drags my attention away from the young queen for a moment. Starstone!

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I actually have to go. I have to bring some more food out," I say in a rush. She frowns and makes the most painfully, sad, puppy-dog eyes in the whole of Narnia before she sighs.

"That's alright. I'm used to people putting me down; my sister and brothers do it all the time. I'll talk to you later," she tells me sadly. I can tell she wants to stay and chat, but Starstone's getting closer and closer. I can't afford to lose my job. Not tonight!

"Great! I'll see you later then, Your Majesty!" I call out over my shoulder. I feel so guilty. I'm half-walking, half-running up the corridor. Thank Aslan she didn't notice me talking to the little queen. I run past her, entering the kitchen at full speed. Booooommmm. The horns! They're starting! I look over to the single window and notice that everyone else has already gathered around it, watching the historical event unfold with quiet whispers. I lift an eyebrow. I wonder...I grab a large, wooden, carrying tray that's sitting over in the corner and stack plates and bowls on it. I then exit the kitchen and run down the corridor. I can make it. I can make it.

I enter the Great Hall and start piling the plates and bowls of food on the table. I finish quite quickly and eagerly look up to watch the crowning. They're just putting the crowns on them now. Thank Aslan; I didn't miss the best bit. Aslan's just about to say something when I feel a tap on my shoulder. I look behind me to notice Starstone pointing to the door. Really? She couldn't give me two seconds? Why does she always have to be so much like my mother? I head down the corridor and enter the kitchen, slouching the whole way. As I push open the door though I can't help but frown. Everything's gone. I just missed a historical event for nothing? I hold in my annoyance. Malina runs over to me with Emolise and Kabella suddenly; all of them chatting away excitedly. I smile at how enthusiastic they all are. Well at least they got to watch it.

"Alright, everyone to the Great Hall. You are all going to be serving food, tidying up empty plates, and filling up punch bowls. Get to work!" she bellows. Yes, I love Starstone, but she can be very bossy at times. We all exit and walk down the corridor to the hall – again! I go over to the entrée table and grab a plate full of puff pastry once I'm there. I also grab some plates and napkins. Starstone told me that that this is my area; the entrées. I walk over to a group of centaurs and fauns who are all happily chatting to one another.

"Would you like some puff pastry?" I ask politely. They, of course, all say yes. I grin and put one on each of their plates with the wooden tongs. This is my first group of the night and I'm already bored stiff. It'd be more polite to star with the Kings and Queens. My eyes scan the room, spotting the youngest Queen first. Don't screw this up, Ashley. She's talking with Tumnus the Faun, the both of them laughing over something. "Would you like some puff pastry, Your Majesty?" I ask with a smile. A tip for the future; curtseying with a plate full of food is not the smartest thing to do. "What's your name again, Your Highness?" I ask curiously as they both hold out their plates for me. She smiles.

"Lu – I mean Queen Lucy," she says, giggling. She's so adorable. Not as adorable as Isabella is, but still adorable. "I wasn't able to ask you before what your name is," she says.

"I'm Ashley. I work here as a servant, so I suppose we'll be seeing a lot of each other, Queen Lucy." She gapes openly at me.

"Really?" She turns to the faun by her side and smiles at him. "Excuse us for a moment, Mr Tumnus." She then turns backs to me and gestures for me to follow her. "Have you met my brothers or sister yet?" she asks me politely as we weave our way through throngs on creatures.

"No, I haven't met any of them yet, Your Majesty."

"Well you're about to."

"So who are we meeting first?" I toss a glance in her direction. She smirks at me, her eyes shining.

"My oldest brother, High King Peter." She had to start at the High King. Alright, Ashley. Breathe. It's no big deal. He's just a boy. We move past two more centaurs before we spot him. He's standing next to two tall centaurs and is surrounded by little bunny rabbits and a deer. He has short, brown hair with a huge, golden crown sitting on top. I look at his eyes. They're a deep, light blue and, somehow, he looks very mature because of them. Queen Lucy runs over to him with a massive smile before hugging his side. He looks surprised before draping an arm over her shoulders. She catches my eyes with hers and gestures me over. Don't panic. I hold the tray in both of my hands, my hands shaking. I'm now up to the small party. Everyone's eyes land on me.

I curtsey before asking, "Puff Pastry, Your Majesty?" He smiles politely.

"Thank you," he answers as I plop some onto his plate. "By the way, I'm High King Peter," he says while holding out his hand. I look at it curiously, not sure what to do, before he very quickly places it back at his side awkwardly.

"I'm Ashley. I um...work here!" Well this is new. Since when do I ever stutter in front of boys?

"I guess I'll be seeing you around then, Servant Ashley," he says as he turns back to his conversation, silently dismissing me. That didn't go as bad as I thought it would.

"Ashley." I turn around expectantly, spotting Starstone from across the room. She points at me and then in front of herself. Without saying anything else to the High King, I drag myself away.

"Yes," I say sadly; I want to talk to him for a bit longer. It's always a bit disconcerting when you don't know who you're working for. I would like to get to know all the Kings and Queens a bit better.

"You've been working hard all day and night, so I'll give you an early mark. Just make sure that you're in nice and early tomorrow morning," she states simply. I nod in understanding.

"Sure and um...Starstone, before I leave, thank you for the beautiful flowers," I say. She smiles and gives me a hug.

"That's alright. Now go home and sleep; tomorrow is the start of a big month," she warns. I nod in agreement and leave. Once I'm outside the castle, I untie Crystal from the pole that I had accidentally left her on this morning and jump up. It's nice of Starstone to give me an early mark so that I can sleep, because, when I think about it, I am pretty tired. It doesn't take me long to ride home. As soon as I get there, I jump off the horse and close the gate. "Goodnight, Crystal, and sorry about leaving you tied up all day. I forgot," I tell her.

"Yes, right! You forgot! Obviously you were too busy flirting with disaster so I'll talk to you in the morning or maybe by then you would've already forgotten that you even have a horse," she argues. I giggle and kiss her long, white nose before I run inside.

"Bella, I'm home," I shout. Silence. "Bella!" Nothing. "Isabella, get your butt out here now!" Still nothing. I groan unattractively and walk upstairs to her bedroom. Knock, knock, knock. "Bella?" I give up. Opening the door I look around the room. Her bag's missing. Oh, a note. I pick it up and easily read, or should I say translate, the messy hand-writing.

I go next door Searah night.

I'm going to Zara's tonight. Only Bella could spell her best friends name wrong. Zara lives next door and has been friends with Bella since they were new born babies. Zara's also the younger sister of Cabigail, so I trust her to keep my little sister safe. Cabigail also has lost her parents, so, like me, she works to support her younger sister. I place the small note down gently onto the bed again and head over to my own bedroom. I instantly throw on some pyjamas and jump into bed. I don't even realise how tired I truly am until my head hits the pillow. I fall into a dreamless slumber in a matter of seconds.


	3. Fire

I am running through the woods at top speed. I know it's still after me. I can sense it. With a look over my shoulder I can see the silhouette of the horrible creature. My head flips back to the front just as I run through a long, muddy, and, fairly slippery, puddle. My green dress is instantaneously drenched in mud. I look behind me again and abruptly stop dead in my tracks. Where is it? The sweat drips off of me as my breathing spikes. I can't see any movement or hear any sounds that can give away its position. Maybe it left? I gather my thoughts and start walking; constantly glancing around me to make sure there's nothing that might jump out at me. Grrr.

I don't want to look. I really don't. I have to though. My head ever so slowly turns over my shoulder. The definite outline of the creature staring straight back at me causes me to scream. I look back in front of me and start running. This can go on all night long. I glance behind me, scared. He, or I should say it, is following me. Since I'm not watching where I'm going, I feel my feet grab onto something before I trip over. Suddenly I'm on the ground. My head's really sore and I can feel something trickling down my face. I scrape it away just as realization hits me. Blood. Damn, I cut myself somehow. I look up only to notice the horrible creature closing the distance between us quickly. I brace myself for the painful impact. I see a glint of saliva on its open-mouth and its giant, razor-sharp teeth. He leaps at me and hits me before everything goes black.

"AHHHHH!" I scream as I wake up. My face is drenched in sweat and my bed sheets are tangled up between my legs. That's the worst nightmare I have ever had. I look at the sundial out of habit and sigh as I realise that it reads five am. Amazing! I had a horrible nightmare, which actually woke me up at the exact time I wanted to wake up. I get out of bed and put on my black and white servant uniform while thanking Aslan that I remembered to wash it last night. Talking about Aslan, I wonder where he went. He must have gone back to his home. Being a servant and all, I look around the house for something to keep me occupied for a few minutes to kill time, but there seriously isn't anything dirty. My cottage is spotless; as per usual. I tap my finger nails on the table for a few minutes before giving up and going outside to the stable. I saddle up Crystal quickly and jump up onto her back. I suppose it won't hurt to arrive to work early today after being late so many other times this week already. I direct her over to Mrs. Muredocks orchard quickly so that I can grab a fresh apple from a tree before heading back out into the early, spring morning.

I bite into it as I ride through the forest. The crisp, chilled air wisps onto my face, effectively waking me up as Crystal runs at top speed along the dirt pathway. I look beside me and notice that The Great River is gushing with water. It's nice to see it full for a change. I suppose it's from all the melted snow. Goodness, it must be pretty cold if that is the case. Then again there were kids splashing around in it yesterday so maybe I gets warmer during the day? As for my nightmare, I can't get it out of my head and it's annoying me so much.

I reach the gates and, for the first time in a few days, I actually get to identify myself at them, which definitely is a good sign, considering that lately they've been wide open by the time I've arrived. We trot through the quiet town before going into the Royal Stable. I put Crystal in her area and look around at the other stables curiously. They're all full. It's so...so...weird. I'm not used to seeing other horses in here. Well, at least Crystal has some friends now. I smile at the sudden thought before I walk up the staircase and through to the main entrance. I notice Starstone standing there cleaning, I think, the floors? She doesn't turn around which probably means that she doesn't know I'm here. This could be fun. I sneak up silently on my tip toes. "RAAAAA!" I shout while jumping onto her back.

"AHHHHH!" She does a tiny bit of a jump. "Goodness, Ashley! Don't do that again," she says breathlessly. She turns her head around so that she's facing me. She's smiling widely. Obviously (just like me) she finds it funny. I smile back. "I think my heart stopped for a moment there. Goodness! Now, off my back please," she commands politely. Whoops, I forgot that Centaurs don't usually like people on their backs, unless it's a battle or an important event. Mind you, that didn't really stop Starstone or Oreius when I was little. I was always riding on their backs. I found it just as fun as riding a normal horse plus the good thing about centaurs is that they'll catch you when you fall off them, and I know that from personal experience. I jump down off of Starstone's back, only to slip onto my back as soon as I do. I forgot about the wet floors.

"Ooouuuccchhh!" I say slowly. She offers me one of her hands and I accept it gratefully. She helps me up off the soaking-wet ground and makes sure that I'm steady before letting go of me.

"Well that was silly. Can't you see that I just cleaned the floors?" she asks in between laughs. I swear this castle is out to get me. It's a mixed up day if something doesn't make me run late or trip over. "By the way, Ashley, why are you here at quarter past five in the morning?" she asks, raising her eyebrows at me. I wonder if I will sound like a baby if I say that I had a nightmare and just decided to go to work to get it off my mind?

"Well, I woke up early and decided to go to work immediately to make up for running late for the past two days," I explain while smiling. She grins. Well, at least that sounded a little believable.

"You are so responsible for your own actions. I am very pleased. I think a promotion is heading your way," she compliments, satisfied. My eyes widen. She actually believes me and is talking about promotions. I smile widely and nod in agreement.

"Yes, I know and um...thank you. Now, what do you want me to do?" I question her, while stuttering. She looks at me for a second then, deep in thought. Please be something simple so that I can't ruin it.

"Can you please clean the Great Hall from last night? It won't take very long. All it needs a good sweeping of the floors and wiping down of all the chairs," she tells me. I nod and leave her standing there to finish what she's doing. "Thank you," she yells after me. I grin and go to grab a candle from the nearby antique table. Steadily, I walk over to the janitor's closet, trying to be careful to make sure that the candle doesn't blow out.

Right, I need a broom, a garbage bag, a bucket of water, a mop, some soap, and a cloth. I put the yellow candle down on the ground, before I grab the huge, green, leaf garbage bag and the sheep-hair mop. My eyes scan the room eagerly for the horse-hair broom. Where is it? Oh that would be it, buried behind all the other junk I don't need. Of course! Nothing can be easy these days. I move a group of stacked boxes out of the way and put them outside in the hallway. I sure hope no one comes by. I grab all ten mops and throw them outside with the boxes causing some of the boxes to tumble to the ground with quiet thumps. Terrific, just what I need!

I pick up the broom and start piling everything back in. Right, now I have to get a cloth. I turn around only to come face to face with another broom. How typical is that! I grab the plain, white cloth from behind it and look around. Soap, soap, soap. Ah, there it is. All the way...up...the...top. Oh fun. I start climbing up the shelves trying to grab the soap box. I grab the edge of it and try to pull it down carefully, but instead it all comes plummeting down on top of me. What else can go wrong! What is that? I sniff the air. It smells like – smoke. Oh no! Please say that the cardboard box is not on fire.

With a glance beside me I realise that my worst nightmare has come true. "Starstone, Oreius, anyone..." Cough, cough. "Please help..." Cough, cough. "Help..." Cough, cough. "Help me..." Cough, cough, cough. I try to shove the door open so that I can crawl out, but my arms aren't long enough. By now the fire has spread across all the cloths and to the other broom that I hadn't noticed early. I can hear a door opening and then...

I'm in the forest again only this time I have a white sword and am face to face with the horrible creature. His snarls are shredding me to bits. He's so menacing with his huge, blood-stained teeth and his horrible wolf shaped body. His scarred body is covered in blood also. I hold the sword out to try and defend myself, but it's too late. The menacing creature pounces on me and then...

I startle awake, gasping for fresh air. That nightmare was even worse than the last one I had. I sit up and try to breathe evenly. "In and out, in and out, in and out!" I tell myself, trying to calm down. My eyes fall upon the closed window which is getting pelted with rain. The small drops on the window sounding like hail on a roof. I swear this morning there wasn't even a cloud in the sky. Where did all this rain suddenly come from? I jolt my head back down against the pillow. "Ow!" I yelp out in agonising pain. My entire body's aching. I look around curiously and notice that I'm in a lighted room that smells of mints and herbs. "Where am I?" I question myself. I look down and see that I'm lying in a bed. How did I not notice that earlier?

"Ashley!" I hear someone call. My attention gets dragged over to the open doorway where I spot some of my friends. Malina comes running in immediately with Kabella and Emolise. They give me a three way hug and then sit down on some of the spare seats by the side of the bed, besides Emolise of course. She lays herself down on the ground. "How are you feeling?" Malina asks me. All three of them seem so worried. They all have frowns on their faces and are all leaning over the bed.

"I'm alright. I don't quite remember what happened though. All I remember was that I was getting cleaning supplies and the box of soap fell and then the cardboard box lit up into flames. I also recall someone coming in then I blacked out and had the worst nightmare," I explain to them. They all look relieved.

"Wow, thanks, Ashley, new gossip!" Kabella exclaims in a girly voice, trying to cheer me up. They all start laughing. I join in. I have to admit, it's nice to see them all joking around. "I tell you what, Ash, these have been the two most scary weeks of our lives," Kabella states matter-of-factly. They all nod in agreement and give me another hug. Wait! Did she just say two weeks? Bella! I hope she's been okay!

"The truth is we thought you might have died," Emolise exclaims, "we don't know what we would do without you." I must admit, it's times like these that I'm glad I have close friends. Yes, Malina can be one crazy faun and Emolise can be a freaky, black-haired centaur and Kabella can be a boy crazed, orange-haired, half-mermaid weirdo, but they all are really supportive friends in the end. That's all I can ever ask for (and maybe a nice husband), but that's not what's important, what's important is –

"Ashley!" I hear a male voice say. I glance over to the door only to notice Oreius running in. "Are you okay? I mean that's the second time I've actually had to go into a fiery room to save you. I'm not indestructible you know," he says panicked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Oreius." My throat is so sore; it feels like someone has shoved a burning-hot iron down it. The whole room is suddenly filled with the sound of someone blubbering.

"Starstone, she's awake," Oreius says peacefully, trying to calm his wife down. I look over to the golden doorway to notice a red-eyed Starstone turn the corner. She takes one look at me and runs forward.

"Oh, Ashley!" she cries while pulling me into a massive hug. I hug her back; my own eyes getting clouded with tears at the sight of her crying. "I'm sorry I ever sent you to clean the Great Hall. I should've known by now what a huge klutz you are," she says blubbering. Klutz? I sincerely hope she can see my glare. "I'm so sorry; I will never let you into the janitor's closet again," she promises me while soaking my shirt.

"I'm fine, it wasn't your fault, Starstone. I was the one who put the candle on the ground and pulled down the soap box that landed on my head then on the fire. I'm also the klutz that doesn't notice things that are right in front of my eyes," I tell her. She's blaming herself for something that I did to myself, as usual. I have to admit though, she's a lot like my mother in that respect; considering that my mother always used to blame herself for everything I did. Mind you, it was nothing as crazy as nearly killing myself in a janitor's closet. That definitely would've made my mother freak out.

"EEEEEE!" I jump slightly at the high-pitched squeal. It kind of sounds like a dying pig.

"Ashley! You're awake. Finally." Queen Lucy comes running in at that moment and pretty much jumps into a hug. I chuckle a little. I've met her once and this is the welcome I get?

"Ashley. That's your name isn't it? I'm Queen Susan," she says while walking forward. The first thing I notice is her face. She is stunning. Green eyes atop all the perfect features of a queen. Her hair is long – really long – and black in colour. On top of her head is a beautiful gold crown shaped into leaves and flowers. "It's nice to meet you. Lucy and Peter have told me so much about you." I feel the heat rise to my cheeks at the idea that the royal family have been talking about me. Why? What could I have possibly done to make them talk about me? "No need to be worried, all good things of course." Well that makes me feel better. Sarcasm is definitely intended.

"Thank you, Queen Susan. It's lovely to meet you too." She smiles at me.

"How are you feeling?" That's a very good question.

"A bit shaky. I might need some time recover."

"That's completely understandable. I'm sure Starstone will give you all the time you need." My head whips over to where Starstone is...wait, no, let me change that to was. She must've left without me realising.

"I hope she will."

"She will," a soothing male voice sounds from the doorway. My eyes glance over to it only to spot the High King leaning against the doorway. "I will make sure of it," he adds on as he walks over to the bedside. I feel heat rush to my cheeks again as my heart starts to beat fast.

"Thank you, King Peter." He smiles slightly.

"You're welcome."

"Ashley!" The King's deep-blue eyes grow wide suddenly. "I'm King Edmund the Just. Wow! Peter, you were right. She is attractive!" he exclaims loudly. What? My eyes meet King Peter's in an instant. He called me attractive? The King is as red as a tomato – I'm pretty sure he's not the only one though. I can feel the heat in my cheeks and the clamminess in my hands. I must be blushing. Everyone in the room chuckles; well besides my friends that I. They laugh. Really hard.

"Oh, Ashley, your face is so red!" Malina exclaims through laughter. Oh dear Aslan! I swear this is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me.

"You know, Ashley, Peter hasn't been able to stop talking about you. In fact he thinks that you're –" King Peter's hand greets his brothers mouth warmly then. My face is boiling. I know I'm blushing horribly, but I'm not the only one. I look over to the High King, whose face is now a bright and vivid red.

"And I think King Edmund has spoken enough today. Perhaps we should change topic? Isn't it lovely to see rain again?" he tries to detour. It doesn't work though, in fact it just makes everyone laugh harder. I give a slight chuckle myself. I actually feel sorry for him. King Edmund seems like the worst brother in the world and, by the way that King Peter is glaring at him now, I imagine that he thinks exactly the same thing I do. I look at the chairs next to me, only to see my "supportive friends" rolling on the floor in laughter and amusement.

"Ashley, your face!" they all exclaim together whilst cracking up laughing.

"This is going on the spider web," Kabella laughs out in utter amusement. Oh no! Anything but the spider web! As soon as she puts that up everyone's going to know about it.

"No! Please, anything but the spider web! I will do anything," I say while sitting up. Bad idea! That hurts! The pain which is running from my head to feet is unbearable. I lay back down slowly. My friends get into a group huddle then and start whispering quietly. I wish I could know what they're saying. No doubt they're working out something completely embarrassing or repulsive. They form a line along the bedside, all smiling from ear to ear. This can't be good.

"Okay, Ashley. We're going to give you a choice," Malina states solemnly.

"You either let us post it on the spider web," Emolise continues Malina's sentence. Kabella smiles widely.

"Or you kiss King Edmund on the cheek." Really? Why did they have to pick that? "It's your choice of course," she adds on. I think about it for a moment. If they post it on the web, then everyone will find out and I might get fired, whereas if I give the little King a kiss on the cheek, no one, but the people in this room, will know. At the moment, the only people who are in the room are the kings and queens and my three mischievous friends, the rest had all left as soon as Lucy came running in. I grin.

"Fine, I'll kiss him on the cheek," I say simply, extremely repulsed at the idea of having to kiss the little King, even if it is just on the cheek. I look over to my friends. They all gesture with their hands for me to continue. I grimace. King Edmund wags his eyebrows before he leans forward so that his cheek is facing me, let's not forget to mention that his brother's hand is still over his mouth. I lean forward and give him the tiniest of pecks on the cheek. I quickly move away and blush lightly as the King makes some bizarre noises that are muffled since his brother's hand is still covering his mouth. I hear hooves suddenly enter the room and I look up to notice a very angry Starstone indeed. Her green eyes are narrowed and move between King Edmund and I. I grimace. I know what's coming. I have been warned of it time and time again. And right now, it's making me feel sick to the stomach at the idea of ever courting King Edmund. I glance over to him one more time and can't help but shudder. King Edmund couldn't be any older than twelve. He has short, black hair and brown eyes. Yuck!

"Your Majesties, I think that now is probably a good time to mention that Majesty/Servant relationships are not permitted. If anyone finds out that you are in a relationship with any member of the staff, I will have no choice, but to fire that person immediately. No second chances. Everyone in the castle knows this just as well as everyone else outside of the castle does. So in other words, please, don't court anyone who works in the castle! For my sake and for theirs," she says quickly and gravely. I grimace. "Have I made myself clear?" she says, directing her menacing words at us servants. We all nod, including the Kings and Queens. "Good, now why don't you all leave and let Ashley get some sleep."

Everyone decides not to go against Starstone's words, so they all say their goodbyes and leave. I'm alone again. Starstone said to sleep, but I don't want to go to sleep again. I'm so scared of that horrible nightmare. I don't have to panic for very long though. As soon as that thought even enters my mind, I hear the door open and close before I feel someone on my bed. I turn my head to the side and jump a little as I notice Bella lying down beside me. Her eyes are red and she's smiling widely. There's a peaceful silence as I look at her.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Ashy," she tells me while holding back tears and cuddling up to me. I smile and kiss the top of her hair. I feel my shirt starting to get damp and look down. Bella's crying.

"It's okay, Bells. I'm fine and I'll be out of hospital soon. I love you," I tell her honestly. My voice sounds off and rough though, not comforting like how I wanted it to sound.

"Okay then. Get some sleep," she commands. I laugh quietly. She's so cute. I'm so glad to have such a loving, little sister. "I love you too and I'll see you later," she adds on while pulling away and kissing my cheek. I smile and watch as she skips happily out of the room.

I have the dilemma of earlier suddenly dawn on me, but I decide in the end to try and get some sleep anyway. I close my eyes and, to my utter astonishment, fall asleep without a single nightmare.

''#^''#^''#^''#^''#^''

I awake to the sound of people talking just at the end of my bed. I don't want to open my eyes in fear of suddenly getting swarmed with attention; attention that I definitely do not want. The attention that I get here in the hospital drives me insane.

"Great news," I hear one of the voices say. I think it's the nurse. "Ashley will be able to leave as soon as she wakes up," she continues. I think my heart just skipped a beat. I can leave as soon as I wake up.

"Are you sure that she'll be okay walking around by herself? I mean she doesn't look very steady yet," I hear another voice say. I know that voice immediately; Starstone.

"She'll be fine. I promise," the nurse, Mrs. Higglebottom, says. I shoot up quickly. I'm waiting for the pain to hit me, but it doesn't. Wow, Aslan must have healed me; thank you, Aslan. I look at them both, with a huge smile on my face.

"I can go home?!" I ask excitedly. I can't keep my voice from breaking on the last word. I can go home! I can go home! The centaur and rabbit look at each other then back to me.

"Yes, Ashley, you may go home now," the little, white rabbit says. I get out of bed immediately. My legs feel a little bit shaky though. I guess I just have to get used to walking again. I run up to Starstone shakily, once I've gotten my footing, and give her a huge hug.

"Thank you!" I say to both of them, before running out of the room. I skip through the white hallway in an absolute daze. My cottage is going to be so dusty, that it will be great. I run pass a mirror and stop mid step as I take in my attire. I'm still wearing my servant uniform? Hmm, that's interesting. I would've thought that someone would've changed me into hospital clothes while I was knocked out. Oh well!

I skip out of the hospitals doors and look around at the beautiful Narnia that I have missed so much for the past few weeks. I sigh. It's so good to be able to taste fresh air. I walk through the little town happily. Everyone seems to know about my horrible incident though, much to my disappointment. I try to ignore all the comments and questions as I walk up to the stairs of Cair. I'm about to enter through the massive doors, but before I even have a chance to step inside I hear the squeals of my friends.

"Ashley!" Malina yells while running over to me and pulling me into a huge hug. I hug her back and look over her shoulder to see all of my other friends running over too. "Ashley!" they all yell while joining in on the hug. I smile. It's so good to see them all again.

"How are you feeling?" Kabella asks me. I look at them all and notice that we are all still standing in the middle of the doorway.

"I'm feeling alright, but why don't we talk inside," I suggest. All my friends nod in agreement to this idea and carefully grab my arms. Emolise and Malina drag me inside. We walk through the hallway and take a left before going carefully underneath a rose archway. We go over to one of the many tables that are in the courtyard and take a seat. I love this courtyard. Not as much as one of the others, but it's still very beautiful. It's, of course, spring, which means that all the gorgeous red and pink roses are out. I can't help but smile. It's so nice to see them all in bloom.

"Right, now tell us exactly what the nurse said to you!" Killara states. I smile from ear to ear. I wonder what would happen if I dramatise things a bit.

"The nurse said that I could leave and that if I would've been in there for one more day, I could've...DIED!" I exclaim over-dramatically, while putting a hand to my forehead.

"WHAT?!" All the girls exclaim worriedly at the same time. I contain a giggle. This is so much fun! They all look absolutely horrified.

"Really? You could have – DIED!" Cabigail exclaims loudly. I nod my head slowly.

"Well we are so glad you didn't!" Malina says gratefully. I nod. That means I would have never been able to see the High King aga – Wait a moment! Did I just think that? No, No, NO! Bad subconscious!

"Yes, I am too. That would mean that I wouldn't see any of you ever again," I say trying to not spill the beans on what my subconscious really wants.

"Awwww!" they all say together. I chuckle as they all give me another group hug. They really are great friends.

"Girls, get to work please," Starstone asks politely while walking up towards us. They all nod and leave very quickly. She must've issued out a warning this morning. I smile after them. Starstone comes up and pats my back. "Well done! You succeeded in scaring my daughter and her friends." I laugh.

"I can't believe they actually believed that I was going to die in a day," I laugh out. I thought they would be used to my over dramaticness by now. "Do you think that they'll ever believe anything I say ever again?" I ask curiously. Starstone shrugs her shoulders.

"I have no idea!" she answers me honestly. I smile. They are just way too easy to joke around with. "Anyway, would you like to work or would you prefer to go home for the rest of the day?" she asks. It's nice that she's asking me that actually. I honestly thought that she would've commanded me to 'get to work' as per normal, but she has proved my hypothesis wrong.

"I think I might just head home," I say. Yes, all I want to do is sit in front of a roaring fire and read my favourite book.

"Sure. See you tomorrow then," she says while walking away. I smile in acknowledgement. I look around the courtyard and am about to get up when I feel a light tap on my shoulder. I turn around and gasp.


	4. Embarrassment

There's a Minotaur standing behind me. I repeat; there is a Minotaur standing behind me in the middle of the castle! Why oh why does this always have to happen to me? In his hands is two huge silver swords and the armour covering him from head to toe just adds to the fear levels. Well this is the end. I don't have any chances against this massive guy. Standing, I raise my arms above my head in surrender. There's really nothing else to do. He takes a step back, swords raised. This is it. I close my eyes just waiting for the feeling of silver through me. A massive clanging noise rings through the courtyard suddenly before I'm pulled up into a – hug? I open my eyes in shock. What in Narnia? He puts me down on my feet again before taking off his helmet.

"Great to have you back, Ashley!" he exclaims. His voice is very deep and solemn. I'm pretty sure my eyes just grew to the size of saucers. I wonder if it's opposite day or something. Isn't he supposed to be killing me or at least attacking me? I wonder if he's just mucking around with me then, when I actually do trust him, he gets out his swords and stabs me in the heart or maybe I'm so used to Minotaur's being the bad guys that I can't believe it if they turn good. I guess that's a possibility worth considering. Then again why in Narnia would a Minotaur be in the castle? Oh no! What if he has come to kill the Kings and Queens and take over Narnia. I have to tell King Peter! Wait, what if he has already slaughtered my future hus – hang on! No! I can't think about King Peter in that way. I could get fired by Starstone. "Oh wait!" I shake my head, tossing away the rest of my protruding thoughts. "Of course! I am so stupid! Sometimes I am so forgetful," he says while smacking his forehead. I'm lost.

"What?" I ask rather – rudely. It isn't supposed to come out like that, it just does.

"Well, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Sapphil," he says while holding out his hand. I reach slowly and hesitantly for his huge fingers and shake them, standing as far away as I possibly can from him.

"Pleasure to meet you," I say slowly. He smiles at me happily.

"Yes, I am glad to see you better as well. Some people thought you were never going to come out," he admits gleefully. This is the most peculiar meeting I have ever had in my life. He seems rather cheerful that I almost died. Very fishy...

"I have to go," I say slowly while backing towards the archway. He waves to me happily.

"Okay then, goodbye. Nice to meet you," he says with a huge smile planted on his gigantic face. As soon as he's out of sight, I run.

"King Peter! King Peter! King Peter! King Peter! King Peter! King Peter! King Peter! King Peter! King Peter!" I shout while running through corridors and hallways. Somehow, I manage to find a whole heap of rooms that I have never seen in my life. I thought I knew this castle back to front. Oh well! Add them to the brain map. Wait, wouldn't he be in...

"Um, High King...Peter!" I stutter out as I burst my way through the doors into the throne room. He looks up at me with a pleasant smile and is about to say something when Queen Lucy interrupts.

"Oh, Ashley, you're out of hospital!" she exclaims happily, while running down and giving me a huge hug. I hug her back, not wanting to be rude. King Edmund stands up then and, weirdly enough, hugs me as well. This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

"Hey, Lu, Ed, give the poor girl a break, she just got out of hospital," King Peter intervenes, while focusing on me. I feel my cheeks heat up again. "What can I do for you, Ashley?" he asks me politely once the other two are sitting down again. I grimace. How am I going to say this without sounding like a crazy person? "Oh and it's nice to have you back." I smile. As far as new Kings go, he's pretty charming. Anyway, back to business.

"Um, Your Majesty, I don't want to sound like a crazy person or anything, but, um, there's a Minotaur in the castle that wants to kill you!" I exclaim loudly. The Kings and Queens all gasp in unison. Bang! What was that? I spin around before immediately taking a few steps back.

"Oh, Ashley. Hi again," Sapphil says while coming to give me another hug. I take one horrified glance at him.

"AHHHHHHH!" I scream while running up to the thrones and hiding behind King Peters. Not good. "That's him!" I scream nervously, pointing to the massive Minotaur.

"Hahahaha!" I put my arm down instantly and get to my feet before walking around and standing in front of the laughing Kings throne.

"What in Narnia is so funny?" I ask King Peter angrily. He looks at me, grinning and I swear I'm about to faint!

"Ashley, Sapphil is a good guy. He came to us while you were knocked out and pleaded with us to let him be a guard. Of course we said yes. After all, Minotaur's are great fighters and guards," he explains while looking at me. My cheeks heat up in embarrassment. I must've sounded crazy coming in here telling everyone that he was going to kill the Kings and Queens. Nervously I turn around and glance towards the confused looking Minotaur.

"Oh! Sorry, Sapphil," I say while walking slowly out towards him. Sapphil smiles brightly at me. "Friends?" I ask while holding out my left hand.

"Oh golly! Friends!" he exclaims while pulling me into a massive hug. I can't breathe.

"Sapphil, I think you'd better let Ashley go now," King Peter tells him.

"Gently would have been nice," I snap after my bottom has hit the tile flooring. Why was I off the ground in the first place? I hate these floors. Someone offers me their hand and I take it without a moments delay. Once I'm up my hand automatically goes behind me to rub my backside. That is going bruise later. I glance up and am momentarily lost in a sea of deep blue. Ashley! Snap out of it!

"Are you all right?" King Peter asks me nicely with a smile, his eyes lighting up as well.

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty. I just have a sore backside, that's all. These floors really hurt when you fall on them," I explain while narrowing my eyes at the shining, white, tile floor. He chuckles. I made the High King laugh.

"I know! I was dashing up to my throne the other day because I was running late and slipped. My siblings thought it was pretty humorous. Of course Oreius backed me up at once telling them that the floors are very slippery and that we all will have a go at sliding on them one day," he says, laughing at his own stupid mistake. I laugh as well. The High King agrees with me! The High King agrees with me! "Anyway, I'm holding you up now. You probably want to go home and rest," I nod. I don't really want to leave, but I think it's the best idea considering the conversation I had with Starstone earlier.

"Yes, I do. I'll see you all soon," I say while leaving the room. I look over my shoulder at King Peter. He's smiling at me before his expression changes to one of pain. What's that about? I look back in front of me again and face plant into the door. More embarrassment!. Seriously, he will never want to court me now. I'm too much of a klutz. Pushing myself off the ground, I turn around, blushing deeply, and curtsey. They all look at me worriedly. "I'm fine!" I promise them while pulling the door open. The High King waves to me. That's the only important thing here to be honest. I wave back and close the door softly before I go down the beige hallway in a daze. I walk home, trying to be careful of loose stones and logs. I haven't walked for a while, so I'm admittedly still a little bit shaky on my legs. Eventually, I make it home in one piece though. I walk up to the front door of my cottage and open it up wide. The scent of lavender overwhelms my senses and I can't help the sigh that escapes my lips. It's so nice to be home again! Glancing around my living room, nothing has changed. This is exactly how I left it. I look up at the sundial and grimace. Five pm! Wow this day has gone so quickly!

"Ashley, you're back!" I hear Bella yell. I turn around just in time to catch her as she pounces on me. Her arms feel like a rope around my neck.

"Good to see you too, Bell's," I answer between breaths.

"I missed you," she admits sincerely. I smile at my adorable little sister.

"I missed you too. Now what do you say I make some dinner," I ask while placing her gently back on her feet. She smiles innocently and nods her head. I smile back at her and drag her over to the kitchen to make a fruit salad. Bella goes out to the front garden to grab some apples while I slice up the watermelon, strawberries, and rock-melon. I toss them into a bowl and put in some grapes as well. I cut up the fresh apple once Bella comes back in and toss it in with the rest of the fruit. I put the glass pot in the middle of the dining table with two bowls. Bella sits next to me as we eat. She's just in the middle of telling me about her long stay at Zara's house when she yawns.

I look up at the sundial and frown. Is it really eight pm already? I look down at her. Her head is dropping over her bowl. "Come along, Bella. It's past your bedtime." She yawns as soon as the words have left my mouth and nods her head slowly. I pick her up and put her into her pyjamas before tucking her in. I kiss her forehead as she quickly falls into her slumber. I smile down at her before quietly leaving to let her sleep. I walk to my own bedroom then and put on my own, cold pyjamas. My heather bed feels like paradise after the hospital bed. My eyes close of their own accord immediately.

The next five months pass by in a blur. Each day that passes seems to feel like an hour. I haven't really spoken to the Kings and Queens very much either which, admittedly, is a good thing in my mind. It means that it's harder to get close to any of them and it also means that our relationship is left purely at a professional level. Thank Aslan for that! It seems that the Kings and Queens are busy touring the country side, too, for they haven't been at the castle very much either, which is a good thing in itself. It's extremely hard to concentrate when all you can see is the gorgeous, brown hair and blue eyes of the High King. I had my eighteenth birthday also a month and a few days ago. Nothing big of course; just a small get together with my friends. Everything is going great and I've even been on time to work every day, which is a blessing in itself, which is why I'm more than happy to wake up today at five so that I'm at the castle by five-thirty. I hop up onto Crystal happily and ride speedily to the castle. Today seems to pass in a blur too. I manage to clean King Edmund's bedroom and Queen Lucy's and also fit in time to wait on the court people hand and foot. I'm just packing up for the day and am about to walk out the front door of the castle when someone grabs my hand.

The electricity flowing through my body is something that I've never experienced before. I feel my heartbeat increase its tempo while my forehead begins to sweat. What is going on? Ever since the Sapphil incident five months back, nothing has been able to surprise me, but this feeling is taking me over without my consent and to be honest, that's not okay. I whip my head over my shoulder; my eyes instantly training on a pair of blue ones. How do I sentence again? In front of me stands High King Peter the Magnificent. My feet turn themselves around automatically, my hands getting clammy. Pull yourself together, Ash. It's only the High King. He's still holding my hand though. Not that I'm complaining. I rather like it. "Is there something I can help you with, Your Majesty?" Preferably something that means I can spend every waking hour with you forever. No! I must keep this professional!

"So, here's the thing. I would really like it if you would do me the pleasure of accompanying me to dinner sometime? Just so I can get a break from all the official business. You just seem like a really nice girl and that's the kind of personality I like to keep around me," he says calmly. Well it sounds calm. The clamminess of his own hand proves that he's not completely together himself though. What is he getting at here?

"Like a date?" I ask cautiously. He shrugs his shoulders casually as he takes a deep breath in.

"If you would like to call it date then yes," he answers. It's obvious he's trying to stay calm, but his voice is a dead give away to the fact that he's actually pretty nervous. My lips turn up into a smile. I have to drag this out a bit. It would be weird just to give him a straight out answer.

"Um, okay then. When and what time?" Two seconds is long enough, right? His face changes into a look of shock for a moment before he smiles and releases a long breath of air.

"Um, how about Friday night. I'll pick you up at seven?" he asks.

"Sure, that sounds great. Here's the way to my home," I say while my eyes scan the room for a quill and parchment. There's some. I let go of his hand and quickly dash over to write it down before running back over to him. My fingers curl around it before passing it over to him. He smiles his glorious smile; the one that makes my heart restart every time he wears it, you know, that one.

"Great! I'll see you then or before that actually, since you work here and all," he says. He looks down then, his cheeks a light touch of red, before he dashes out of the room. Not going to lie, he is one attractive male. And now I'm swooning. Okay, Ashley, pull yourself together. He's just a man. Yes, he is the King, but that's not the point. Just breathe.

"OY! Watch where ya' going!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I jump out of the way of the wagon with ease, fully aware of the crowds of eyes all staring me down, but I don't have it in me to care. I have a date with the High King in two nights; so much for him never asking me out. I ride back through the woods after grabbing Crystal from the stable, occasionally stopping to pick up any flowers I see. I feel so light and I haven't even been out with him yet. Not going to lie, I find this whole situation very strange. I've barely seen him, let alone spoken to him, for five months. I wonder what brought it all on. I might have to ask him on Friday night.

I'm late – again. I groan, annoyed at the prospect, as I get ready for work a day later. In my entire working life, I have never been late and now it's all crashing down on me at once. The worst part is that I don't even have a decent story to tell Starstone today. The only thing I'm allowed to tell her is that I slept in. I can't even tell her why I slept in. Because the reason I slept in is because I was still trying to get over the shock of the High King asking me out; I laid in bed for about two hours before actually getting up because of it. I grimace while looking up at the sundial. Ten am, are you serious? I am soooo dead! I'm wearing my long, yellow dress today because of course I forgot to wash my uniform, didn't I? Which is exactly why it's now soaking wet and hanging up outside to dry. My hair is up in a ponytail (I'm trying to avoid the buns) and I have my plain white shoes on. I walk over to the back stable, stopping at the wooden gate. "Hi, Crystal! Sorry I haven't said fed you yet," I apologise.

"That's fine. I had some hay left over from yesterday. Are you riding on me today or not?" she asks while nudging at her silver saddle. I giggle.

"No, I'm in a walking mood. I'm already late anyway, what's another half an hour?" I answer her. She nudges me then. "I know. See you soon," I say, kissing her nose and walking to the front yard. I half walk-half run through the forest then, enjoying the feeling of being able to use my legs for their intended purpose. But of course something has to go wrong. Being the klutz that I am, I trip over a tree root and land in a giant, mud puddle. Yuck! I stand up slowly while trying to shake some of the loose mud particles off of myself. "Great, what else can go wrong?" I shout sarcastically up at the sky.

Drop. Drop. Drop. My eyes draw a trail down to the dead leaves beside me; water drops plastering their outer layers. Please no! Within seconds the skies open up and I'm trying to find shelter. It doesn't let up, in fact the rain just gets heavier. Great, now not only am I muddy, but I'm also drenched. Starstone is going to freak out. Examining myself is probably the hardest thing in the world. My dress, and every part of my body that's revealed, is now drenched in mud and water. Well I'm already wet...I run through the rest of the forest, the golden gates revealing themselves to me within a few minutes. Oreius is already standing at the gate with his hand outstretched to me.

"You're late," he points out as I reach him. The eye roll I give him is not obscure. Why does he always have to be so obvious?

"I know I'm late, okay. Just get me into the castle," I tell him annoyed, both of us still getting pelted with rain. He's the one to roll his eyes now as helps me onto his back. We gallop through the bustling town, stopping directly in front of the marble castle stairs. "Thank you!" I exclaim while jumping off his back and running up them.

"Any time!" he yells after me. Once I'm in the "safety" of the castle, I frown. This is not going to be a good day. And of course who is the first person I bump into, but Starstone. Great. Just what I need. A lecture on why being late is bad. She turns around, her eyes immediately narrowing into slits as she looks me up and down.

"Ashley, do you realize it is now quarter past ten in the morning?" she bellows at me. I take a step back instantly. I hate it when Starstone's angry.

"Yes, but please, don't start. I barely slept a wink last night. My mind has been extremely preoccupied lately." It isn't exactly a lie; I have had my mind on other things, like the High King asking me out. I really hope she doesn't pick up on the shakiness in my voice.

"Fine, but before you do anything, go and ask one of the Kings or Queens if you can wash up in their bathroom. I don't care what one, just go. You know where to find everything. Chuck your dress into the laundry and get to work as soon as you're ready. Understand?" she asks. I nod. "Well then," she says, gesturing with her hands to leave. I'm out of there in a flash. Amazing, I barely even got into trouble. That would be a first. I grab a spare uniform and red towel and run up the marble staircase. I know one particular King who will give me anything I want, including use of his private bathroom. Rounding a corner I come face to face with just the person I want to see.

"Whoops! Sorry, Your Majesty," I say while curtsying. King Peter smiles at me and nods his head in recognition.

"Ashley." I smile back. Who wouldn't smile back after seeing one of his smiles?

"Can I please use your bath chamber to wash up in?" I ask politely, while giving him a little, innocent smile. His shining, blue eyes roam my body up and down before they rest on my face.

"I don't have an issue with that, but what happened to you, dare I ask?" he questions while raising his eyebrows. How do I explain this?

"I tripped into a muddy puddle and got drenched by rain all in the same minute," I explain enthusiastically. He chuckles.

"That was really smart. We should give you a brainiac award or something," he comments, grinning at me. I roll my eyes and he just laughs. I'm about to remark back, but he interrupts me. "Come on!" he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me up the stairs to his bedroom. Everything around me is a blur. The only thing I know is that he's holding my hand – again! The High King! Life can be so good sometimes. He waits for one of the guards to open up one of the double doors and gestures me in after explaining to them that I need to wash up. "Um, Ashley?" Oh, we've stopped.

"Yes...oh right," I manage to stutter out. My eyes glimpse his face momentarily. He's smirking. "Do I want to go in your room?" I ask, not even daring to look into his bedroom yet.

"Probably not, but the bathroom is safe. I just want to quickly warn you that I've been trying to find things and so it's a bit messy," he admits with a sheepish smirk. I narrow my eyes and walk in cautiously. My eyes widen in shock and I'm pretty sure I'm to faint, I swear! The neat freak in me can't stand the sight of it. There's stuff everywhere. It's so messy I can't even see the floor – or his bed. Where did he even sleep? I can't see anything but books, clothes, and junk.

"How could someone make their bedroom so dirty in so little time?" I inquire through gritted teeth, remembering how long it took me to sweep and tidy it up a few days ago while he was out killing remnants of the Witches army. I glare up at him. He smirks.

"Please don't kill me. I lost my sword and so I had to find it which meant that I had to pull everything out," he explains while casually putting his arm around my shoulder. I shrug it off. I can't allow this type of behaviour. If someone walks past the room and sees us then I will be in so much trouble.

"Whatever. I'm going to have a bath. See you soon and thank you again," I say whilst climbing over piles of mess just to get to the door of the bathroom. Once I'm safely in, I close the door and lock it. The spoilt dress grips to my skin as I slip it off my body before I toss it into the dirty clothes pile. Once the bath is full, I let my body soak in the hot water. It's nice for a change; the water in the Great River is usually freezing. After about ten minutes, I decide to get out; just in case King Peter wants the bathroom for anything. I put on my clothes quickly and throw my hair up into a messy bun.

I look decent. I put my shoes on fast and open the door to the horrendously, messy bedroom allowing my eyes to only look at the wall. Someone has to clean this mess up and it's not going to be me. I get out of the bedroom quickly and start to make my way down the hallways. What is there to do? I stroll around the castle casually, checking the pictures and mantelpieces to make sure they're free of dust at the same time. Everything is spotlessly clean. I go down stairs to the lounging area and sit down on one of the many white sofas that surround the room.

"Ashley!" Malina yells while running up to me and giving me an awkward hug. I half smile in response.

"Hello, what's going on?" I ask curiously. She seems over excited – more so than usual. She takes a seat next to me and is immediately into gossip mode; a very bad thing if you ask me personally.

"What's going on with me? What's going on with you? What did the High King talk to you about last night? All of us saw him talking to you about something!" she asks me excitedly. What does she mean 'all of us saw'. No! No! NO! "Narnia to Ashley," she says as she shakes me out of my reverie.

"Who saw?" I ask, snapping my head in her direction. She smiles.

"Relax, by 'us', I mean Em, Kab, Cabigail, Mira, Rie, Tammy, and Lara; you still didn't answer my question though. What did he say to you?" she asks. I swear she's about to burst. "Yes, what did he say?" seven voices agree from behind me making me jump. I spin around only to notice all my friends leaning in over the edge of the white lounge expectantly. Great.

"He asked me out on a date on for tomorrow night," I reply, confused. They squeal in excitement. What is so exciting about that? It's only a date. It's not like we're going to get married right off the bat or anything, although...

"Girls! Will you keep it down! This is not a girls gossip club." I glance into the hallway. An older, female, centaur servant is standing at the doorway. Her grey hair is neatly placed into a bun on the top of her head and her arms are filled to the brink with clothes. She raises an eyebrow before she shakes her head. I think I hear her muttering something like "girls these days!" as she digs her hand into the pile and pulls out my long, yellow dress. She throws it over to me before walking away. I catch it and neatly place it next to me.

"You might have to have a secret romance," Emolise whispers excitedly once she's gone. For some odd reason, that actually sounds like fun and it's also sort of what I have in mind; especially since King Peter has to make up some sort of story to get out of the castle tomorrow night.

"Yes, you might have to have make-out sessions in closets and secret dates, just like you hear in romance books! Forbidden love; it's so romantic!" Kabella exclaims. I can't help the blush that comes over my skin at the thought of any of that happening.

"But what happens if Starstone finds out (or any of the elders for that matter). They will not agree with you courting the High King, in fact, they'll fire you instantly!" Henrietté exclaims worriedly. I haven't really thought much about that, but, now that she mentions it, it is true. The elders definitely won't agree!

"Yes, but what if they fire you and then the High King asks you to move into the castle with him," Tamilla suggests, smiling. That would be cool, but somehow I don't think King Peter would ask me to move in. I'm the complete opposite of him. These are all great ideas. Most of them I haven't even considered.

"I'm not going to get fired, girls. We will just have to have secret romance," I state simply. They all awe dramatically. I laugh. If someone walks past us right now and hears this, they will probably think that we are all freaks.

"You have to tell us everything on Saturday. Promise?" Malina asks. I close my eyes in despair at the thought of having to express everything to them.

"Fine." If I don't pass out on the night and ruin everything. She smiles.

"Yay, I can't wait for Saturday!" Malina exclaims, while grabbing my friend's hands. They all leave the room, chatting, obviously, about King Peter and I, leaving me sitting by myself. I hope nothing happens tomorrow night so that I don't have to embarrass myself on Saturday. That would be horrible!

The end of the day comes quickly, leaving me far behind at the beginning of it. I can't believe I got myself into this horrible mess. If I tell them and someone overhears I will die a slow painful death. My lips turn down into a frown. Something is going to happen tomorrow night. I can feel it in my bones.

I get home late and by late I mean three am. I am only going to get two hours sleep and, for me, that is a horrible thing, considering that I have a date tomo – I mean today and work at six am. I get in my bed and, for some odd reason, I can't quite make myself fall asleep. It's driving me in absolute sane! Usually when I get home this late, or early I should really say, I tend to fall asleep instantly, so it's weird that I'm not. Maybe if I just close my eyes I'll fall into a slumber. The most peculiar thing happens though. Five pictures suddenly pop into my head. The first one is of the glorious Lion, Aslan. He's nodding his head slowly. Up and down, up and down; his golden mane bouncing along joyfully. He's smiling happily. It's sort of starting to make me dizzy.

The second image is of Starstone. She's shaking her head in disapproval. I wonder why? The third illustration is of my parents. They are smiling at me joyfully and crying. That definitely is a weird frame. My parents were strong people. The only time I ever saw them cry was when a close, family friend died. I try to get that one out of my head for it's starting to make my eyes well up.

The fourth picture is of all my friends. They're all squealing their heads off. Strange, the only time they ever do that is if I tell them something exciting. There's nothing I can think about that would make them so excited though. Oh well!

The last image is my favourite by a long shot. It's of King Peter and he has the most breath-taking smile on his face. Just looking at this image makes my heart skip a beat. He has his arms crossed and he's laughing. I don't know why I have these images; they just appear out of thin air. I open my eyes. This is the most bizarre thing that has ever happened to me. I shake my head while sitting up. I touch my forehead experimentally. I don't have a fever or anything. I grimace before I lay back down and close my eyes again, hoping I might get to sleep instead of having the peculiar images again.

A sudden picture flashes into my mind as soon as I close my eyes. I'm wearing a white, long, wedding dress with a long, silk veil. My hair is all curled and has threads of white flowing through each individual little curl. I'm holding a bouquet in my left hand and my right hand is holding hands with – King Peter! He's wearing a black suit and looks stunningly gorgeous. There's a priest standing in front of us too. I flash my eyes open quickly.

This is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me. I mean, why in Narnia would I be having pictures of King Peter and I getting married?! That will never happen. We are from two completely different worlds. I'm from the poor society, the society that has to work up to twenty-two hours a day just to get food on the table. King Peter is from the royal society, the society that gets anything and everything they want exactly when they want it. There is no way he will ever want to marry me.

A lonely tear escapes its confines and rolls down my cheek at that thought. Why am I crying over this? I am so stupid! I start punching my pillow, trying to release all the anger I suddenly have over the situation. I know it's stupid; I just have to let it out on something. I groan in utter frustration. Why, oh why, do I ever have to be a servant? If I wasn't I wouldn't be in all this trouble right now. I freeze on the spot. Did I just think that? No, no I didn't. I sigh at my thought processes and close my eyes, willing myself to sleep. "Please, I just want to go to sleep!" I shout out to no one in particular. As soon as I say that though, I find myself falling onto my pillow and getting zapped into a dream about nothing in particular.


	5. Date

"Cock a doodle doo!"

"Ahh!" I scream while falling out of my bed and landing on the painful, wooden ground with a thud. I have a sudden urge to go and kill that rooster. I was having a very nice dream about weddings when it interrupted the ceremony. I sigh as I put my hands on the bed and hoist myself up onto it. Great, I'm late again! I think as I look outside my bedroom window to see the sun up and joyful already. I'm over work now. Do I have to go? Of course I do! I don't really have a choice in the matter. I get up off my double bed then and go to my small closet. I fling open the door and pull out my, now clean, servant uniform. I put it on and run into the kitchen. Grabbing a cup, I get some freezing cold water from the bucket and chug it down quickly. I go to turn around, almost bashing into Bella in the process. "You alright, Bell's?" I ask as I take in her tired, dreary face. She's rubbing her eyes a lot too, usually a sign that she needs more sleep and rest.

"I'm just tired. Have fun at work," she replies sleepily. I think I woke her up. I don't have much time to ponder on the idea though as I look up at the sundial. Eleven am! If I don't get to work soon, I'm going to be fired.

"Alright then. Love you. See you tonight," I say as I quickly give her cheek a kiss and run out to the back stable. "Come along, Crystal," I say while hoisting myself up onto her bare back.

"No saddle?" she asks. I shrug. Riding bare back doesn't bother me; in fact it is how I was taught to ride.

"I don't need one and I'm in a hurry. Come on, go!" I scream frustrated. We ride to Cair Paravel quickly, passing through the large golden gates. I almost run over some pedestrians in my rush, frustrating me to no end. They don't seem to understand the rule of making way for horses. Have I mentioned that I hate this town now? It's busy every morning and it's the biggest pain when you are riding in on a horse. Eventually we make it to the stables. We trot to the back stable and I leap off of her before I shove her into her gate and run up the front steps.

"Good morning, Ashley! You're really late aren't you," Malina greets while running next to me.

"Yes, I know! Just shut your mouth!" I snap angrily. She rolls her eyes at my attempt to be angry. For me it's very hard to get angry; usually I'm quite happy. "Look I know how late I am, okay? I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's just...I didn't get much sleep this morning. I tried to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes I got these odd images flash up into my mind," I explain. She frowns.

"What do you mean odd images? Most dreams I get are bazaar, but you don't hear me rambling on about them," she says. I shake my head. She doesn't understand.

"No! I don't mean a dream. I tried to go to sleep twice, but each time I closed my eyes I got odd moving pictures. Like Aslan nodding his head and... Starstone shaking her head in disapproval and, and –" Malina grabs my right shoulder then and takes me inside slowly.

"It's okay, Ashley. I'm going to get you some serious help." Her face is serious and I struggle to maintain my groan of annoyance. I grimace at her instead. Some great friend she is. Instead of trying to help me herself and listen she takes me to see a counsellor. She leads me up two flights of stairs then before we turn left, then left again, then down one flight of stairs, then right, then up four flights, then left at a weird corridor, then pass by four spare bedrooms, until finally we arrive at a room that says "Counsellor". I'm about to pull the door open when I hear a faint male voice say my name.

"Ashley, why are you going to see a counsellor?" the voice asks me curiously. Oh, please say that I don't know that hugely familiar voice. I turn around and frown. Sure enough my date for tonight is standing in front of me.

"She thinks I need counselling," I say sourly while pointing at Malina. Peter chuckles a little bit.

"Counselling? Really, Malina?" he asks, raising one of his stunning eyebrows at the same time.

"You know my name!" she squeals. Of course Malina would only hear him using her name. She probably doesn't even realise that he's curious. I roll my eyes at her.

"Yes, I know your name?" King Peter asks, completely and without a doubt confused at her bizarre reaction. I hold back a chuckle.

"How?" she asks over excitedly. King Peter looks so confused. If I don't control myself I know that I probably will be on the floor in laughter.

"That doesn't matter! Why are you sending Ashley to counselling?" he questions angrily. Now it's my turn to raise an eyebrow. The High King is angry? Well that's a first!

"Because she said she was having bazaar images and so I thought that she better consult a counsellor about the issue," she explains as if her idea is the smartest thing in the world. I can just picture her wearing thick, black-rimmed glasses and overalls with socks pulled up over her knees. I chuckle. I catch her deadly glare in my peripheral vision. Wow! Who ever knew that Malina could be scary?

"What type of bazaar images?" he asks, tilting his head a little bit and walking forward. I blush.

"I'll tell you tonight, if we're still on," I comment. If he's forgotten, he is not worth the hassle.

"Sure and yes we are still on for tonight. You didn't seriously think I would forget about it, did you?" he asks as if he's offended by the idea. I smile.

"No, I didn't," I lie smoothly.

"Oh, well, okay then. And I'm sorry ladies, but I've got to head off to court. I'll see you soon, um, both of you and, Malina? I don't think Ashley needs counselling," he backs me up, before walking away. I smugly look over my shoulder at Malina then only to see that she's glaring at me. I poke my tongue out at her and walk away. I'm so glad I know this castle back to front otherwise I probably would be lost by now. I walk back around a bend towards the last corridor then and bash into just the person I do not want to see.

"Hi, Starstone," I greet, my voice shaking. She looks at me and shakes her head. I don't know how Oreius can put up with her as his wife; let alone Emolise as her daughter. If my mother was always like this I would be scared half to death most of the time.

"You're late...again," she says angrily. Maybe Henrietté is right. Maybe I will get fired, only it won't be by King Peter and I courting, it will be because I'm always late. I just nod my head at her with a sorrowful look on my face. "Ashley, if this continues then I'm going to have to fire you. I won't have a choice. I don't want to fire you though, so please stop being so late." She sounds truly upset, making me feel a little bad. I just nod my head softly. She pulls me into a hug. I hug her back. Actually on second thought, she would make a good mother. "Now, on the bright side of things, I do want to tell you that you get the day off today. You worked until two-thirty and, besides, we have a lot of servants today anyway." I freeze.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" She cracks a smile.

"I said; you can have the day off." I can't believe what I'm hearing. She's letting me off with a warning – again! I definitely don't deserve this type of treatment. Hang on, why am I so upset? I get the day off, which means that I get to go shopping for my date tonight. "Go home now, Ashley," she suddenly commands out of the blue.

"What?" I ask, confused. It's weird that she would just command me to go home like that. Starstone usually is nice about giving people the day off, not commanding them to leave immediately like they're on private property or something.

"Go home!" she commands again, pointing towards the newly painted exit. What in Narnia?

"Are you okay, Starstone?" I ask nervously. She narrows her green eyes at me. I didn't do anything. Why by the Lions Mane is she glaring at me?

"Ashley, just go. I'm not in the mood today to be arguing with you," she says in a dangerous warning tone. This is so weird. I can tell she's getting frustrated with me. I can just imagine smoke coming out of her ears.

"Fine!" I say while pushing past her. I can feel her glaring eyes on my back as I turn the corner and exit the castle. I go directly to the little town, looking at all the stalls and shops. I need something nice for tonight, but I don't have anything nice at my little stone cottage. I go to a little shop called 'Pink Boutique'. It has pretty little dresses in the window, so I have a feeling that it'll be nice. I'm definitely right about that. This little boutique has the most adorable dresses in it. The only problem is the prices. They are not cheap; at all. The sale rack is full of gorgeous dresses that would be perfect, but they're asking for ten gold crescents per dress. Only royalty have that much money to spend on dresses. I groan and look up to the ceiling.

"Welcome to Pink Boutique! My names Alessandria. Can I help you with anything today, Miss?" A pretty, blond faun asks me.

"Um, what's the cheapest dress you have here?" I ask, trying not to be too pushy. She thinks over it for a moment.

"This one right here," she says while holding up a pink, knee-high dress. Ugh! How dare she even show me that! Only married women wear knee high-dresses and even then it's when she's alone or with her husband in private.

"How much is it?" I ask curiously. I'm not planning on buying it, but that doesn't mean I don't still want to know what their version of "cheap" is in this store. She flips over a little, pink tag that's attached to the collar of the dress and nods once.

"Eight gold crescents," she answers happily. I frown. She looks at my face for a moment. "What do you need the dress for?" she asks curiously, concern written all over her face.

"I have a date tonight," I answer gloomily. This is the only place to buy formal and pretty dresses and they're all way too expensive. How typical! The girl sighs and puts the dress back on the hanger.

"Is it your first?" she asks, while leaning on a rack full of pink and purple dresses.

"Yes. I don't have anything to wear and I'm really worried that if I wear something too cheap then he's going to think that I'm way to poor for him," I explain. She smiles at me in comfort.

"Is he upper class? Part of a royal family or something like that?" she asks. I think she truly is sorry for me. Maybe it's an act. Or maybe she's being truthful. I don't want her to feel sorry for me though. All that will do is make me feel like I'm only getting things because I play the pretty, little, poor girl who has her first date.

"He's part of the Royal Family. Do you know High King Peter?" She gasps and her eyes grow wide as her jaw drops to the floor.

"You're going on a date with the High King!" she exclaims surprised. I nod. "I see what you mean," she agrees. "Well are there any dresses that you had your eye on or anything?" she asks. I glance around the shop and my eyes land on the perfect dress. It's black and has a bright blue, lacy piece of material that flows from the top of the dress to the bottom. It's has gorgeous blue lace sleeves, the same colour as the front part. It looks as if it'll reach down to my ankles and just fit my body shape, which is pretty curvy if I'm being truly honest with myself. It's perfect. I run over to it and search through the rack and, thank Aslan, they have one in my size. I pull it out and admire it. I see the little pink tag hanging on the back of it and flip it over. My eyes widen. One hundred and fifty-six gold crescents! My dream of wearing this dress tonight just faded into thin air by one tiny, little, pink, price tag. "That's one of our new arrivals. It's gorgeous isn't it?" Alessandria says, admiring the lovely dress.

"Yes, it would be perfect; if I could afford it," I say frowning. The perfect dress and it's too expensive. How typical! The shop assistant taps me on the left shoulder then, bringing me out of my reverie. She points to the little, wooden, dressing room.

"Go and try it on, I'm sure we can come to an arrangement," she promises me, winking. I smile and skip to the first available black dressing room. I take off my servant uniform quickly and shove the dress on. I was right. It does fit me perfectly. I love it; it's so light-weight and feminine. It also looks expensive, which is always a good thing when you're going out with the High King. I come out of the dressing room. Alessandria claps. I smile. "It looks really nice on you. You're the first person who's come in so far that has actually suited the design and colour," she comments, smiling. I spin around. It's so pretty. I need this dress and fast. "How much money do you have?" she asks. I frown. I feel as if I can burst out in tears at any moment.

"A lot less than what this dress is worth," I reply sadly. I look down and seriously feel as if I can cry. It's so nice. She eyes me and smiles.

"Just tell me how much you have," she asks politely. I frown. There's no getting out of this question! I may as well answer it honestly.

"Four gold crescents," I say. Alessandria clicks her tongue and grimaces. Now this is the one time that I wish I had parents to 'borrow' money off.

"Hey, Lu, what about this one?" I know that voice. I spin around, my eyes landing on the two Queens without a second glance. What luck that is! Queen Lucy examines the lime-green dress and shakes her head in disapproval. Susan glances over at me then and our eyes make contact. "Hi, Ashley!" she exclaims while running up and giving me a hug. I smile.

"Your Majesty," I say, curtseying. This dress is so perfect for curtseying in. I want it!

"Please, call me Susan. I do have to ask though, if you can afford a place like this, then why on earth do you work?" she asks with wide eyes.

"Well I can't. I was just browsing and then I saw this dress and really liked it so I thought I'd try it on. Do you like it?" I ask as I notice her eyeing the dress with an approving smile.

"I love it on you. It wouldn't look nice on many people, but you certainly make it," she says, smiling the whole time.

"Hi, Ashley!" Queen Lucy says while skipping up to me and giving me a tight hug. "Wow! I love your dress," she adds. I frown. I can almost hear the moment when all the dots click together in Susan's head. She puts her hands on my shoulders to make sure that I'm paying attention to her before looking at me expectantly.

"This is for your date with Peter tonight," she states, not needing me to really answer. I nod anyway and hold back the threatening tears. Why is it that the one time I actually have a date is the one time I can't afford the dress I like. "Ashley! What's wrong?" she asks before pulling me in for a light hug.

"Who was I kidding when I came in here? I can't afford a place like this, Queen Susan. I was hoping I could, but I can't. The one dress that I really love is probably one of the most expensive dresses in the shop since it's one of their new items and I'm really worried that if I don't wear expensive clothing tonight then King Peter won't want anything to do with me again," I explain quickly, while holding back the tears that are threatening to fall.

"Are you crazy? My brother doesn't care what you wear, he's a man! A clueless male who couldn't tell the difference between hand-made and shop-brought. Don't worry about that. You're gorgeous either way and plus, we're going to buy you that dress – as well as shoes and jewellery – so take it off," she commands. I grimace.

"Your Majesty, I can't let you –"

"Don't argue with me." Queen Susan has a snappy side apparently.

"Fine then and thank you. It means a lot to me," I say, smiling at her.

"Well, I mean, you're going on a date with my brother. It's the least I could do," she promises. I grin and go back into the changing room. I take the dress off and hand it to her over the doorway. She grabs it and I can hear her shoes clicking against the stone floor as she goes to pay for it. I can't believe she's doing this for me. It's crazy! I put my uniform on quickly then and rush out of the changing room.

"Thank you for all your help. I'll make sure to recommend your store to all my friends," I say to Alessandria. She nods her head in acknowledgement and smiles.

"Any time. Have fun with the High King tonight," she says while I leave with Queen Susan and Queen Lucy.

The day goes by quickly and by the end of it, I end up with a dress, a pair of pretty black and blue flat shoes that have rows of diamonds zigzagging across the top of them, a diamond necklace and bracelet, and, also, some hair accessories. The girls help me get ready once we get to my place and leave at six-thirty pm. I'm wearing my dress already with the shoes and jewellery. Queen Susan has somehow curled my hair into elegant sways and Queen Lucy has put a cute, little, diamond hair band on the top of my head. I love King Peter's sisters. They're so genuine.

So now all I'm doing is sitting on my brown, leather sofa in front of the blazing fire waiting anxiously for the knock of a life time. I have my bag and coat (both new also) sitting on the couch next to me. Bella's sitting on my other side. She had helped a little bit with putting the bracelet on to which she is very happy. I have my arm around her, trying to use her as a calming device. It's silent as we wait. I can easily say now that waiting is the worst part about a date. It gives you way too much time to think, which, before a date, is never a good thing. What if the only reason he asked me out was because he felt sorry for me? What if he doesn't like me at all? What if the date goes really bad tonight and he never wants to see me again? What if he ditches me and doesn't come at all? What if –

Three light taps on the front door pull me out of my gloom. I jump up off the sofa, taking a few calming breaths in the process, and yank the front door open (I swear I probably could pull it off its hinges; I'm so excited!) and here he is. He's wearing a woodland green tunic, which stops just above his knee. He makes that tunic look so good! He's gorgeous! I look up at his gorgeous smiling face. The first thing I notice is that he had taken his golden crown off; obviously he didn't want to pull any unwanted attention to us. I sigh in contentment.

"Hello, beautiful lady!" he says while pulling out a bunch of dark red roses from behind his back. "These are for you," he says, smiling widely at me. I take the roses from his outstretched hand and smell them. I know, how cliché! They do smell fresh and gorgeous though.

"Thanks, they're beautiful! Would you like to come in?" I ask shyly, gesturing for him to come through.

"Yes, thank you. I'd like that very much." He smiles and enters slowly and curiously.

"So how have you been?" Really? Out of every question in the world you ask that one? I kick myself mentally.

"Hmm, alright. I've been very busy though. I never knew how much work went into being a King. And what about you?" he asks as I gesture for him to take seat in the lounge room. He smiles at me and casually turns around before walking through to the lounging area and plopping himself down onto the lounge. I walk through to the kitchen and grab my mother's crystal vase out of the top cup board. I fill it half way up with freezing water and cut the roses stems so that they fit in perfectly. I put the vase in the middle of my little oak lounge room table and turn to face him.

"Not bad, just boring work and annoying friends. You know the usual," I state smiling. He chuckles a little. At that exact moment I notice my little sis sit next to him.

"Hi, I'm Isabella, Ashley's cute, little sister," she interrupts. I love you Bella, but why? Just why?

"Oh! Well it's an absolute pleasure to meet you, Bella. I'm Peter." He holds out his hand for her to shake and I chuckle as she looks at it strangely before refusing it. She stands up on the couch so she's towering over him before glaring at him – or trying to anyway. It looks more adorable than deadly to be honest.

"Here's a warning for you, buddy. If you hurt my sister then I. HURT. YOU!" she threatens while pointing her finger at his chest and poking him. I bite my lip in an effort to stop the invading giggles. Well at least she's protective. I look at King Peter and purse my lips as I notice that he's trying to contain laughter too.

"I will definitely not hurt, Ashley." She smiles and puts her chin up. I shake my head. He turns to me then and smiles.

"Shall we go?" he asks while holding out his hand. I contain a sigh. Now play it cool, Ashley.

"Sure!" I agree in a high-pitched tone. Goodness, that was so wrong! I put my hand in his and he laces his fingers with mine before he pulls me to the front door. I stop and take my hand out of his. I miss the contact instantly. My hand's burning with electricity. I spin around and lean down so that I'm on eye level with Isabella. "I'll be back late tonight, okay. You're going to have to put yourself into bed. There's some left over fruit salad in the cooling station for you for dinner. I love you and will see you in the morning," I kiss her cheek and stand up, lacing my fingers with King Peter's again.

"I love you too. See you in the morning," she says before walking away. I smile after her.

"Ready now?" he asks me, raising an eyebrow. I look down and check to make sure that I have everything. My coat is now hanging over my arm and my hand bag is in my hand.

"Yes," I say, smiling again. I can't help myself, every time I'm around King Peter he just makes me smile; not that that's a bad thing at all.

"Come along then," he says, pulling me out the front door which I continue to close and lock behind me. He grins at me and leads me through the dark, creepy forest. Tonight is going to be great; I can feel it in the depths of my bones. The air in the forest is quite warm tonight for a change; usually it's absolutely freezing out here. I sigh. The forest is also extremely quiet. I can't hear anything, just dead silence. It's just me and King Peter, not that I'm complaining at all.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks me out of the blue, making me jump a little bit. What am I thinking about? That is a good question.

"I'm just thinking that it's so quiet and warm tonight. Usually seven-thirty pm is quite a busy time to be out. So I'm just pleasantly surprised," I explain. He grins at me.

"Well, at least no one will see us together, which is probably a good thing considering your line of work," he says, swinging our arms between us. I smile. There is an awkward silence. "You didn't tell me you had a little sister. How old is she?" he asks. I grin. That's always the first thing that people wonder about Bella. She seems a lot older than what she really is.

"Sorry about not telling you that, she's um...five," I get the wonderful display of seeing his jaw drop.

"Five? Are you serious? I thought she was seven. Her grammar is perfect for a five year old," he comments.

"Yes, that's just because I'm the best teacher in the entire universe!" I add. We both laugh at the same time. I bite my lip before glancing around in confusion. I don't recognise this place at all. "Where are we going?" I ask curiously. The only thing I see in front of us is a huge waterfall and a steep grassy incline.

"We are going to a place that I found while heading to the Stone Table. It has nice views and so I thought it would be romantic for a first date," he explains, pulling me into his broad and muscular side. I giggle. He knew the High King has muscles? I certainly didn't! "I also got Eddie to take some dinner up for us 'secretly'; the cooks will do anything for him, especially the females, whether he did it or not though I do not know," he adds. I giggle again.

"Wow, you trust your brother so much," I respond sarcastically. He chuckles to himself.

"Yes, my brother isn't the most trustworthy person in the world, but he'll do anything for me as long as I ask politely and remind him when he has to do it," he says, while pulling me up to the edge of the dark forest. I look up the grassy hill. It looks as if the Great River runs right over the top of it. He's right, it should be romantic. "Come along," he says in his striking, unusual accent while beginning to pull me up the hill. All I can hear apart from his calming voice is the loud splashing of the waterfall next to us.

I brush away a few stray drops from my arms with a giggle. The water is freezing! Eventually we reach the top of the incline. King Peter was right, this hill is beautiful. The Great River runs straight through the heart of it causing a deep crevice in the middle of the hill. There is another stream too though that starts from a large pond placed on the opposite side of the hill to us. Its water flurries through the slight forest and pours over the edge in a mass of noise. The views are breathtaking also, looking out over Narnia in all directions. From this point, I can see the stars for miles and miles. It's extremely relaxing and stress relieving. I let go of King Peter's hand then and cautiously walk over to the edge. Looking down I see the giant waterfall pouring off of the edge of the hill. No wonder we were getting wet, this waterfall is huge!

"This is amazing! I've lived here eighteen years and I never noticed this," I awe in amazement, while turning to him. He raises his eyebrows at me.

"Seriously? You didn't know this was here?" he asks flabbergasted. I smile.

"It's true," I swear while walking over to him. He chuckles under his breath and takes my hand in his, lacing our fingers together once again. He leads me silently into a little bit of bush before we are standing in front of the rushing stream.

"Right. Ed has set up our dinner over the other side of the river, so we'll have to cross over these rocks here," he explains while gesturing to the small stepping stones that are carefully placed in the river. I look at them and back up at him. He must read the worry in my eye's for he crosses over them at once and holds out his hand to help me skip across them. I look down at the tiny, wet rocks then back up at him. "Trust me. I'll catch you if you slip. I promise," he says in a very convincing tone.

I look into his deep, blue eyes, only to see complete and utter assurance. I smile at him. Don't be a girl about nit! They're stepping stones! Okay, there's one. There's two. And – shoot! I slip while landing on the third, wet, brown rock. Two strong arms catch me and pull me up before I land into the rapid river. I look up at King Peter and he smiles reassuringly. He holds onto my hand as he carefully picks me up and places me down onto the grass next to him. "Are you okay?" he asks a bit worriedly. I nod.

"Yes, I'm okay, it's a tiny bit harder to jump across a river in a long dress though," I say while grimacing. He chuckles.

"You're right. It is harder for you than me," he says in between laughter. I giggle a tiny bit as well. "Come on!" he says while keeping hold of my hand and leading me through the bit of undergrowth to another open space. I look around and notice a table with two chairs on each side. The table itself has a golden tablecloth on it with two sliver plates and cutlery. On the edge is a large gold candle with two little silver candles on each side of it. All three candles are lit and have little flames on them, lighting up the whole table. My eyes widen at the sight of it. It's so...perfect! "Well at least Edmund did something right!" he exclaims. I laugh openly.

"Peter – I mean, King Peter; it's ideal," I reassure him while looking up at his face. He looks down at me and smiles his drop-dead, gorgeous smile.

"Ashley, while I'm away privately with you, you may call me Peter. This isn't a formal event or anything and you're not working," he says with a heart warming smile. I put my hand on his shoulder and he twitches at the different touch.

"Thank you. That's what I've wanted to call you ever since I met you," I say, a tad shy. He grins down at me and kisses the hand that is apparently still sitting there. I jump slightly. Why is my hand still on his shoulder? I blush deeply, my face feeling like someone just placed a burning iron on it. He must have noticed my slight delay for he touches my cheek with his hand. I recoil a little bit at his unusual touch.

"I love your blush," he declares quietly. I smile. "Anyway let's go and um eat," he says while pulling his hand away from my boiling cheek. My cheek feels electric from his gentle stroke. I can definitely get used to this. He grabs my hand, thankfully, and leads me over to the gorgeous table. After letting go of my hand, he walks up to one of the chairs and pulls it out for me to sit on. I bite my lip slightly, hesitating.

"My lady," he acknowledges me, while gesturing for me to sit down. I walk silently over to the golden chair and sit on it. He pushes my seat back underneath the table and goes to sit himself down opposite me. "I have no idea what Edmund has planned, so don't start complaining if we don't end up with anything to eat," he says, smiling at me. I giggle a little.

"As long as I'm with you I'm happy," I declare myself, instantly regretting it. He smiles at me and put his hand over my own. I blush.

"Relax, Ashley! I'm the same as you," he declares himself. I hold back a squeal. The High King possibly likes me. I'm about to reply when I hear footsteps slowly and hesitantly approaching us.

"Good evening! My name is Susan and I will be your waitress for this evening. Here are your menus and if you need anything just ring the miniature, silver bell on the table," Susan says, smiling widely at the two of us. With that she leaves us alone to look at the menu. As soon as she's out of hearing range Peter and I laugh.

"Well I guess that answers the question about the food and drinks," Peter says in between laughs. I giggle at him. "So anything you like?" he asks. It isn't up until this moment that I suddenly realise I haven't even opened my menu yet. I look at the front.

It looks quite formal. I open it up and notice that each page is very neatly hand-written. My eyes widen. It would've taken them a while to do this. The thing I do like about this menu though is that there are no prices. Everything is free. Thank Aslan! I look up at Peter and smile. He's looking at me. Not that I'm complaining at all. I look back down at the menu and scan through it. Lamb and gravy sounded good. I put it silently down on the table in front of me. "So, what are you going to have?" he asks, still gazing at me. I blush and look at the yellow flame of the golden candle.

"Um, lamb and gravy with a side of salad," I say, quite unsure of myself. He laughs a little bit. "What?" I ask joining in.

"We picked the same thing," he laughs out. I giggle. I have to admit that is pretty funny. He smiles at me and then picks up the silver bell. He rings it twice. Two, long, high-pitched notes echo throughout the hill and forest beneath it. I just keep staring at Peter. It's so hard to be able to look away from him. There is something extremely natural about the way he presents himself and acts. It's rather like a breath of fresh air. His whole demeanour is so relaxed and friendly that it makes it hard to not smile around him. He looks at me again and smiles as if he read my mind. He's just too gorgeous for his own good.

"Ready to order," a voice asks from beside me, pulling me out of my High King trance. Susan's standing there wearing one of the spare servant uniforms. I grin. Oddly enough she looks nice even in one of the horrible dresses.

"Um, yes thanks, can we please have two plates of lamb and gravy with the side salad," Peter orders for both of us.

"Anything else?" she asks while tilting her head and throwing her gaze to me.

"Drinks perhaps," I suppose. She smiles.

"Perfect. I'll be right out with all those," she says nodding her head and collecting the menus. She leaves then, leaving Peter and I to talk in private. I smile. I can't believe she actually agreed to do this!

"So random question time!" Peter says enthusiastically. I giggle in response and nod. "What's your favourite colour?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. I enclose another giggle.

"Blue." The colour of his eyes...really?

"Same, another likeness," he says happily, winking at me. I smile at him for the hundredth time tonight. I swear my jaw is going to be hurting by the time this date is finished from smiling so much. We chat idly for the next twenty minutes, just enjoying the time together. It's starting to become very natural to talk to him. There really is something about him that makes me open up and talk. I'm usually very shy around new people, so it is a welcome surprise. Susan comes out then with two plates of delicious looking food. She places it down in front of both of us and leaves again.

Peter and I look at each other for a moment and we're just about to start eating when Susan comes out again only this time she has a tray that has wine and two diamond cups on it. My eyes grow large. Diamond? Are they serious? She places the cups in front of us and pours the wine into them one at a time. Red spiced wine! I wonder if they know that red is my favourite? She places the bottle of wine on the table when she's done and leaves us alone, hopefully for the last time tonight. "Cheers to happiness!" he says while holding up his cup.

"Cheers!" I say putting my glass up against his. We both smile and have a sip. Can I please drink that forever? It's the best wine I have ever tasted in my life! I put my cup down rather regretfully and start eating my dinner. It's beautiful! I can't even remember the last time I ate out apart from home and of course hospital. Once we have both finished our dinner, Susan comes up and takes away our plates.

"Come on, I know a little park bench where we could sit; if you would like to of course," he says, extending his left hand towards me. I take it gracefully and get up off my seat. He leads me towards the river and we walk a little bit North before I spy our destination. Sure enough there's a wooden park bench sitting right next to the beautiful, shining river. We sit down together, both of us admiring the moonlight bouncing off the water.

"It's so beautiful out tonight," I comment as the ripples dance around the rocks.

"Yes, but not as beautiful as you are," he compliments. I blush scarlet. Unfortunately, where we're sitting is smothered in white moonlight so he notices my blush, much to my embarrassment. He strokes my cheek lightly. "Why is it that every time I compliment you, you blush?" he whispers gingerly into my ear. I shrug my shoulders.

"I can honestly say that I do not know. It just sort of happens. I guess I can blame genetics."

"Well I like it. It's a trait that I'm always going to love because that's who you are. A blushing beauty," he tells me sincerely. I feel my cheeks heat up again. Stupid blood flow!

"Thanks for telling me that. Sometimes it's annoying though. It usually gives me away when I am trying to cover something up," I explain. He smiles and pushes a loose strand of hair out of my face.

"Is that such a bad thing?" he asks. His blue eyes boring straight into mine.

"Yes it is," I admit while looking away.

"Okay, give me a demonstration. If I asked, 'do you like me' what would you say?" he asks.

"N-o-o-o?" I stutter out making it sound like a question. I blush bright red while he smiles at me gleefully.

"So you do then?" he asks, "Because I really do like you," he adds on quickly. I feel a breath get caught up in my throat.

"Yes I do," I answer while looking anywhere, but at him.

"Really?" he asks curiously. I nod.

"Yes, really. I would love to get to know you more," I tell him truthfully.

"I would like that too," he tells me before standing up. "Come on," he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me up off the seat. I giggle. He pulls me into him and picks me up bridal style.

"Hey!" I exclaim while wrapping my arms around his neck in a death grip.

"What? Don't you want me to carry you across the river?" he questions, raising his eyebrows at me.

"Well of course I do, but –" I start, but get cut off by his lips on my forehead. He pulls away after a second and leaps easily and swiftly across the rocks.

"That's all I wanted to do. So stop complaining and let's take you home," he says, grinning widely at me before he puts me carefully back onto the ground, making sure that I'm steady before he lets me go. He grabs my hand almost immediately in his and laces our fingers together again. It's as if he doesn't want to leave me. "Now would you like me to take you home now or would you prefer to go for a romantic walk along the river with me?" he asks.

"River walk," I reply, almost too quickly to be healthy. He laughs and starts pulling me back to the hill opening.

"Alright, beautiful, come along!" he says while pulling me back down from the most romantic hill in the country. I wonder if he realises that the most romantic thing to do around here for dates is to walk along the Great River hand in hand which is exactly what we're doing now. I have a feeling my friends are all going to die of excitement when I tell them about this. Peter suddenly yawns, bringing my attention back to the real world.

"Are you tired?" I ask curiously. He nods his head in full agreement with me.

"Yes, I didn't get much sleep last night. I was too excited for tonight," he explains while yawning again. Did he just say that he was excited for tonight?

"Really, you were excited?" He nods. The High King was excited about going on a date with me. ME! "I somehow don't believe you," I say grinning and pushing him playfully. He chuckles.

"Imagine that, you not believing me. What a shock!" he says sarcastically, while pulling me down to the grassy ground beneath us. I giggle as he pulls me up onto his lap. I automatically wrap my arms around his neck. I sure hope no one comes by and sees us in this position or else I will probably be dead before I even tell the girls tomorrow. "Ashley, I was sort of wondering if..." he pauses and looks away from me for a moment.

"Yes," I say gesturing for him to continue. He laughs nervously.

"Would you like um...to court for a while?" he asks nervously. My jaw flies open.

"Yes, of course," I answer as calmly as possible, even though my heart is thumping wildly in my chest. I think all my friends are probably going to have a squealing session tomorrow. I'll have to take them to some abandoned place in the middle of nowhere. I give him a tight hug then and a quick kiss on his blushing cheek.

"Was this date okay?" he asks as his blush wears off. Was it okay?!

"Peter, seriously! Of course it was okay. I promise. It's been the best night of my life," I declare to him. He smiles.

"Same! Anyway, I better get you home. I'm not really sure if the made up story of going and helping at the soup kitchens is really going to quite do it if I'm out too late," he say. I immediately frown when he puts me on the ground in front of him, so as soon as I get the chance I grab his hand in mine and hold it tightly. He laughs. "Ashley. Get up you silly girl," he says, pulling me up to my feet.

"Fine," I state simply. He chuckles again and leads me through the forest back to my home. We talk all the way back to my little cottage covering all sorts of topics. We talk about our favourite books, mind you I've never heard of any of his favourites before, our favourite foods, our siblings, our homes, everything really. By the time we reach my cottage, I feel that I have a better understanding of him. "Well this is my stop," I say as soon as I see the familiar oak stable up the back. I walk over to the front door, dragging him along with me. There is no way I will be able to leave him, even for a short period of time. We stop at my front door and I yank it open. He lets go of my hand and I frown. He frowns a tiny bit as well. He enjoys holding my hand and I know it for a fact.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," he says simply.

"Yes, sure," I reply. He pulls me into a really nice hug. I feel so safe in his muscular arms. He gives my forehead a quick peck before blushing and unfortunately letting go. I yawn as soon as he does, much to my embarrassment.

"Time for bed," he says, grinning. I smile at him and nod.

"Absolutely, I feel like I'm about to die from tiredness," I say dramatically. He laughs openly and free. He is mine! Officially.

"I'll talk to you soon then," he says before placing a kiss on my cheek and leaving. I sigh after him. He is just perfect. I close the front door and slide down the frame, my cheek tingling from the after effect of his gentle lips. It feels nice. I get up then and walk over to my bedroom in an absolute daze. Tonight was beyond perfect. He is everything I had imagined and more. Suddenly I can't wait for work tomorrow. I quickly get into my pyjamas and jump into bed. As soon as I close my eyes I fall asleep and have endless dreams about our date all night long.


	6. Courting and Tell

Morning comes far too fast. I lay in my bed staring up at the ceiling as the moonlight pours in through the open window. I'm still in a daze from last night's date. How on earth am I going to be able to tell the girls that the High King is now courting me without them screaming for joy and dragging attention to us? The truth is, that is not possible! I take a quick glance at the sundial on the wall. Five-thirty am. Wow! I might actually be on time. I throw my covers off me and go straight to the closet. I shove on my uniform hurriedly and very quickly scribble down a note for Bella telling her that I love her and that I'll see her tonight. I race outside through the fog filled yard to Crystal.

"Wakey, wakey, Crystal! Come on get up. If I have to be up at five-thirty, you do too!" I complain while shoving up against her. She neighs. Loudly. In my ear! "Thanks, Crystal! I really did want to go deaf the day after I got my first ever boyfriend!" I exclaim sarcastically. She give me a horsey grin.

"So I'm guessing the date went well then?" she asks. I roll my eyes.

"Oh, shoosh up!" I tell her while scowling angrily. She looks in the opposite direction to me as I get up onto her bare-back. "Oh, stop having a horsey tantrum and let's go. Hang on, I've lost it. I'm having an argument with a horse!" I exclaim, smacking my forehead.

"Broohaha. That is what you get!" she says right before she does another horsey laugh and starts running. Finally!

"Amazing, you're on time today!" Oreius exclaims sarcastically once I reach the golden castle gates. I roll my eyes at him.

"Shock horror, I'm not late!" I reply even more sarcastically, gaping at him. He laughs a booming laugh.

"You know it would be great to stay and chat, but if you don't get going now, then Starstone is probably going to end up killing you," he tells me while shaking his head sadly. I giggle.

"Well in that case, I'll see you later, Oreius," I say before riding away through the town. And once again there are pedestrians everywhere. Who in Narnia would choose to get up at six in the morning anyway?! If I had it my way, I would happily sleep in till twelve pm or later. I eventually make it to the royal stable with little time to spare. I hop down off Crystal and lock her up in her stable area. I close the gate and make sure it's locked properly, before looking around the stable in curiosity. I wonder which one's Peter's? Oh well, better get going. I leave the stable and go up the marble staircase. The castle's virtually empty. I walk around the first corner to find Starstone standing there with a huge smile planted on her face. I raise an eyebrow. It looks sort of odd to actually see Starstone happy on a work day. It isn't that she doesn't enjoy her work; it's just, usually, she's very stressed and will take it out on the first person she sees.

"You're on time!" she shouts loudly and happily. I grin.

"Yep, back on schedule," I say happily. "Thank Aslan!" I add on under my breath, while walking around her and heading up the spiral staircase leading to the Kings' and Queens' sleeping quarters. I put my foot on the first step and pause. "Hey, Starstone," I say. She turns her head to me and nods once for me to continue, "Are any of the Kings or Queens awake yet?" I ask curiously. The main reason behind my curiosity is that I just want to see my gorgeous, drop-dead, handsome, sweet, sensitive, and attractive boyfriend again, but I can't tell her that or I will get into a lot more trouble than I want right now.

"I haven't checked yet, but could you please wake the High King up? He has a meeting at seven, so I need him up and dressed as quickly as possible," she asks me very politely. I have to keep from smiling and squealing. She wants me to wake up the forbidden love of my life. How eccentric!

"Sure, I can to do that. It's easy enough, I hope," I answer her while trying to contain a threatening and give-away smile. She grins at me and leaves, obviously her way of saying "Thank you!" As soon as she's out of sight, I run up the stairs, letting the smile overcome me.

"Morning, Ash!" I hear Cabigail say as she runs next to me.

"Not now, Cabigail! I have to wake up my royal boyfriend!" I exclaim smiling. She freezes, her mouth open in shock, before she recovers. I hear her squeal and skip the other way immediately. This is going to spread like wild fire; I know it for a fact! I skip up the last flight of stairs and go up to the golden, double doors that lead into Peter's chambers.

"Good morning, Edmauel. Good morning, Yerialds," I greet politely. The two huge and muscular centaurs look down at me, then look right back up again. Okay then. Some people have issues. I go to open the double doors, but two muscular hands pin my hands behind my back. "Hey, what's the deal?" I ask angrily while squirming around, trying to get loose.

"No one is allowed in the High Kings chambers until he is awake," an all too familiar voice explains. I look behind me and sure enough see Oreius. I groan out in frustration.

"Starstone told me I that I had to wake him up so that he's ready for his seven am meeting. So let me go," I tell him, still squirming around in his arms like a worm.

"Oh, well if Starstone told you then I guess it's okay," he says, letting go of my short arms. I'm about to open the door when a hand reaches out in front of me, blocking the entrance. I try to crawl underneath the centaurs arms, but only get pulled back so that I'm face to face with Oreius. "Five minutes is the maximum amount of time you are allowed in for," he commands me seriously before adding on in a warning voice, "And I will come in to get you after the five minutes is up." I nod my head and open the doors.

I close them again behind me. Five minutes! Does he know that Peter's courting me? I walk, or should I say climb, over towards the huge, double-king sized bed and, sure enough, Peter's right smack bang in the middle of it. I get carefully onto the bed and go to the middle. Aww, he's so adorable when he's sleeping. I shake him lightly hoping that might wake him up. All I get in response is a snore and a turn. He's now facing me. I shake him again, this time a little bit harder.

"Peter?" I say while shaking him even harder. He breathes deeply. So the High King is obviously a deep sleeper. Who knew? "Peter? Time to get up," I say, shaking him for the hundredth time.

"Okay, I'll be up in about half an hour," he promises me while flipping onto his back. I sigh. How is this so hard?

"Fine!" I say getting up off the bed before a thought occurs to me. It's only been about a minute. Oreius won't come in for a bit longer. Maybe...just maybe...I move back to Peter in the middle of the bed before I take a deep breath in and lean down to give him a kiss on his cheek. He sighs and smiles. He wraps his arms around my back and pulls me closer to him. "Are you awake now?" I ask, raising my eyebrows and smirking.

"Yes, wide awake," he replies, grabbing me and giving me a tight hug. "Why did you have to come and wake me up anyway? I was having a very good dream about you," he asks me, slightly annoyed. I roll my eyes before blushing a lovely shade of red. He was dreaming of me.

"Because you have a meeting at seven and it is now six-thirty which means that you have half an hour to be dressed and down at the Great Hall," I explain, slightly proud of myself for remembering every detail. He groans, while I just laugh at his expression.

"It's not funny!" he says as he jumps out of bed to quickly brush his teeth. It isn't until now that I realise he isn't wearing a shirt and I can't help but sneak a peek at his chest. He has a six pack? "So what are you up to today?" he asks conversationally after he's done. I smile. I could have some fun with this.

"Let's see, cleaning up after you, telling the girls that we're courting, and cleaning up after you," I state simply, but quietly. I don't necessarily want the guards outside to find out that we're courting...yet. He grins.

"Well, I suppose I'd better help you do that then," he says while lying down next to me.

"Really?" I ask, completely surprised by his reaction. He smiles.

"Yes, so I think I'll happily start with a bucket and a mop." I chuckle.

"Taking my job? I'm not so sure about this." He sticks his tongue out at me playfully and then pulls me back into him. I cuddle him back and then lay my head on his chest. He's so warm. I hear a door open then and close my eyes tightly. Please Aslan don't let it be Starstone! I hear a gasp and recognise it immediately. It's just Malina. I sigh in absolute relief and have to hold back a laugh as she miserably fails to stutter out an apology.

"I'm...um...s-s-sorry. I-I... didn't mean...to...um...y-you know...u-u-u-um...interrupt. I-I-I...j-j-just was...um." That's the best you can do, Mal?

"It's okay, Malina. I'm just glad that it was you and not someone else! Apology accepted." She's about to say something else, when Peter interjects.

"Don't worry, Malina, I'm sure Ashley will explain everything later on in your lunch break or something, okay?" She nods and sighs before her eyes roll back into her head. She falls onto the ground with a loud thud. I guess it's a little bit too much for her to handle, especially considering that he doesn't even have a shirt on. I would've passed out too. "Will you help me pull the body out? We have to hide the evidence that we possibly could've made someone have a heart attack by hugging," Peter says before losing control of his laughter. He's on the floor in it. I join in. This is so funny. I open the door and notice that Peter has picked her up and has flung her over his broad shoulder. Thank goodness she's asleep, otherwise she probably would've had a heart attack from him touching her, let alone picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder.

"Hey, Oreius!" I say enthusiastically as I walk past him. He looks at me confused, simply because I laugh out the greeting. His eyes grow wide when he notices Peter with Malina flung over his gorgeous muscular shoulder. He's still half naked, not that I'm complaining, although I'm sure he would look a sight to anyone who walks pass. "We have to go," I say, grabbing Peter's free hand and pulling him up a random staircase, smiling widely the entire time. Peter's still laughing. Once we reach the top of the stair case, we round a corner and look around to make sure no one's here. Peter tosses Malina softly onto the ground both of us looking at her like she's a diseased goat or something. "So where do you plan on hiding – or should I say stashing – the body?" I ask, tilting my head. He smirks and looks at a door that's on the left side of the hall way.

"What's in there?" he asks curiously. I look at the place where he's pointing and grin.

"You mean the supply closet." He chortles wickedly and opens the door.

"Perfect!" he exclaims before tossing her in there and closing the door. He walks away whistling inconspicuously. I laugh loudly. He immediately turns around to face me. "You think that's funny?" he asks while grabbing me into his tight hold. I giggle.

"Maybe?" I reply through giggles.

"Oh well we'll see about that!" he exclaims before picking me up and tickling me. I'm laughing so hard that I end up getting a stitch in my side. Suddenly I hear the sound of hooves coming up the stairs. My eyes instantly widen, that is until I hear the girlish screams two seconds later. Peter puts me down and I turn to look at my friends. They're all smiling.

"You have to tell us what is going on, NOW!" Henrietté exclaims. I chuckle a little bit as he presses his lips to my forehead experimentally. There's another round of screams. He's trying to make a show of this, I'm not silly! He kisses the tip of my nose before leaning away from me.

"I have to go. I have a meeting on in five minutes," he says while walking away from me. I jut out my bottom lip in a pout. He laughs a little. "See you soon...sweetie," he adds on. My head shoots up in shock just as he winks at me. Sweetie! Did he just call me sweetie or was it just me? Obviously he did for the girls start running up to me and commanding me to tell them what happened. I giggle. This is going to be great!

"We have to go to somewhere quiet. Hmm...how about we go to my boyfriend's bedroom? Considering no one is allowed in there unless he's in there as well," I suggest. My friends all smile and nod their heads in agreement. "Great! Let's go then." I start to pull them down the stairs that is until I hear a loud groan followed by a bang. "Malina!" I exclaim, running back up the staircase to the supply closet. I jerk the door open only to see Malina covered in black ink from head to toe with a bucket stuck on her foot. I gasp. Oh this is definitely not good.

"You cuddled him...or he cuddled you! And...and he had no shirt on and why didn't you tell me earlier? You should've sent a messenger bird to come and tell me...your secret courting!" She rambles on like this for the next ten minutes while we head down stairs. Before I tell her anything, she has to wash herself down and get dry and put on a clean uniform.

"What happened?" Starstone pretty much screeches when she sees the state that Mal's in. This is going to be funny.

"Well, she came into the High Kings bedroom while he was getting out of bed and he was shirtless so she passed out. Then King Peter panicked and tossed her into a supply closet which just happened to have ink and buckets in it. When she woke up she banged her head on one of the shelves making the ink cover her from head to toe then, while trying to get up, her foot got caught in a bucket. So finally I decided that it would be best if she just came down stairs to get washed up before one of the Kings or Queens see her and freak out," I explain quickly. Starstone claps her hands sarcastically before she sighs and points upstairs.

"Ashley, take Malina upstairs and get her to use one of the Royal's bathrooms. Now! The rest of you, get back to work!" she screams. I hold in a chuckle before I lead Malina back up the stairs with my friends hot on our tail. We reach Peter's doorway and just as we're about to enter the guards stop us.

"The High King said that it's okay if we use his bathroom. So I expect you to listen to me or I will tell King Peter that you aren't obeying his commands," I say, nodding my head slowly. All my friends copy me. They sigh and let us into his bedroom. "Thank you, guards!" we all say in unison. They smile and gesture us in as they open the doors for us. We all flood in quickly. The doors squeak close very quietly behind us.

"You are way too good at making up stories to be healthy," Tamilla applauds me. I giggle and open the door to the bathroom.

"Thanks, Tammy! Malina, go in now!" I say softly, but commandingly. She grimaces and walks into the bathroom. "Tell us when you need your clothes," I add on. I turn around and sit on the gold, silk quilt that's spread across the bed. I pat the places next to me and all my friends join me. We sit in a circle on the huge bed, well beside the centaurs who have perched themselves on the ground.

"Tell us everything that happened last night," Mirasdean says. They all lean forward expectantly. I chuckle. Where to start...

"Um okay, well, he picked me up from home and took me up to the top of a beautiful hill for dinner. Then we ate and he took me for a walk along the Great River. He also kissed my forehead and cheek and asked me if it was okay for him to court me. I, of course, said yes, which led us to what happened this morning," I say trying to put it simply. All of the girls squeal. I'm half expecting the guards to come in and drag us all out.

"So he's courting you now?" Emolise asks, trying to keep her voice down as her eyes grow wide.

"Yes, pretty much," I state while starting to blush. There are sighs all around.

"What it's like to kiss him?" Kabella asks, putting her hand over her heart in a romantic way. Does she seriously expect me to answer that? She looks at me, waiting for my answer. I shrug my shoulders.

"We have only been on one date. We haven't kissed each other on the lips – yet," I say, hoping in the depths of my heart that they would cut it out.

"What? Are you serious? " Mirasdean asks, leaning right forward. "If I was you, I would've been making out with mister sexy king in a second." I roll my eyes.

"Ashley, can I please have my clothes now!" I hear Malina yell from the bathroom. I get up off the bed and grab the gross dress just as she opens the door. It's open enough for her hand to squeeze out. I hand her the clothes and she quickly closes the door, locking it again. "Thank you," she says. I smile and get back into the middle of the bed. Right where was I, oh yes! The date, courting, and kissing.

"Yes I am. We are taking it slow, really slow," I answer, "but he has cuddled me a lot, kissed my face, and he also mentioned last night that he liked me." I hear the bathroom door open then. Malina walks out in the long black and white servant dress looking as stunning and normal as ever. Well at least she's not covered in ink anymore.

"Ahhh!" the girls all scream at the top of their lungs. I can't help it. I start laughing. This is just far too amusing.

Peter POV

I exit the Great Hall eager to see Ashley again. I don't care where I see her, as long as I can look at her again. I walk up the hallway and bump into someone's side. I glance upward distractedly. "I'm sorry, Starstone," I say while walking around her. I walk up to the spiral, marble staircase and start strolling casually up them. I wonder where she is.

"Peter!" I hear my little sister yell. I turn around just as she crashes into me.

"What is it, Lu?" I ask. It's probably something girly that I don't care about, but Lucy is my favourite sister. Sadly for me she knows it and takes full advantage of her status. She motions me down with her little finger. I kneel down so that I'm eye level with her. "What's wrong?" I ask interestedly. She leans in so that she can whisper in my ear.

"How did your date with Ashley go last night?" I give a slight chuckle. She giggles. She is so adorable when she asks me these types of questions. She always seems so eager for me to answer.

"It went well, thanks for asking," I say while picking her up in my arms so I can carry her. She giggles again.

"Where are we going?" she ask in her high-pitched soprano voice while we start walking up the staircase. I smile at her.

"Would you like to come and look for Ashley with me so that we can talk to her?" I ask, already knowing what the answer is. Her eyes grow wide as she gasps.

"Oh yes, please can we?" she begs, putting on an adorable little puppy dog face. I grin.

"Yes, we may. Now come on," I say while putting her down and grabbing her left hand. I lead her up the stairs until we reach my bedroom. I figure that will be the best place to check out first considering that Ashley always seems to find some way past the guards. I'm about to ask Yerialds whether he has let her in or not when I hear a high pitched squeal come from my bedroom. Either someone's broken into my bedroom or Ashley's explaining to all her friends what happened last night. I think I might go for the second option.

The guards open the door for me and I enter with Lucy still holding tightly onto my hand. Sure enough all of Ashley's friends are sitting on my bed in a tight, little circle, all of them leaning in wanting to hear more. I look down to Lucy who looks as if she's about to burst out laughing. I'm pretty sure I have the same expression planted on my face for she smiles widely at me. I look back up and only have eyes for my beautiful girlfriend who's sitting cross legged on my pillow. No one has even noticed us enter yet; they're all too involved in Ashley's story to pay attention to anything else.

"But he has cuddled me a lot, kissed my face, and he also mentioned last night that he liked me," Ashley tells them happily. I look at her smiling face and smile myself. She has a way about her that always makes me smile. I hear a door creak open and Malina walks out with damp hair, which pretty much means that she used my bathroom. I don't really care, but still I wish Ash would've asked me. It would've given me another excuse to talk to her.

"Ahh!" the girls all scream in unison on the top of their lungs. I hold back a laugh. Ashley's blushing bright red. I don't know why considering she hadn't even noticed me standing here yet. I feel Lucy tug on my shirt. I put one of my fingers over my lips, silently telling her to be quiet. I'm curious to see what else Ashley has to say.

"Anything else?" Emolise asks over excitedly. Ash shrugs her shoulders.

"Not really. I mean it was just a normal date," she says. I grimace. Maybe it wasn't that special after all. I hear a little noise come from beside me suddenly. Lucy is starting to cough.

"Lucy, shush!" I whisper irritated. 'Sorry!' she mouths. I smile down at her. She coughs again only this time it's a lot louder. I feel several sets of eyes suddenly on me. About time they noticed us standing here. All of them looked surprised to see me. I chuckle. Lucy finally stops her coughing fit and runs up to a very sorry looking Ashley.

Back to Ashley's POV

"Anything else?" Emolise asks over excitedly. I shrug my shoulders.

"Not really. I mean it was just a normal date," I say. There's no possible way that I'm going to tell them everything. They wouldn't really care for the rest anyway. All the rest is just between Peter and I. I smile at the thought before a sudden little girl cough brings me out of my precious thoughts. We all look over to the door at the same time. Sure enough there's Lucy and standing next to her is a very sad looking Peter. What have I done? I bet he heard most of the last part. I review all my words and sentences. The phrase 'It was just a normal date' rings over and over again in my head. I can just imagine what he would've heard in it. It was boring and normal; the complete opposite of what I actually feel. I don't have much time to think over my horrible sentence though because my voice being called by Lucy immediately comes to my attention.

"Ashley!" Lucy squeals, running up to the humongous bed. She jumps onto it and crawls into the middle of it. She sits on my lap and gives me a tight hug. I hug her back. Lucy will be the best sister-in-law in the world. Wait, did I just think that? She pulls away after a second and faces me. "You know Peter really wants to talk to you in private," she blurts out. I blush and climb off the bed.

"I'll be right back," I say as I walk over to my gorgeous, sad-looking boyfriend. He grabs my hand and pulls me out the door. We walk up a few flights of stairs in silence until we reach a spare room. I totally forgot it was even here. I suppose the only reason I forgot about it was because it's the smallest room in the castle. He pulls me inside and closes the door behind us, making sure it's locked. He then pulls me over to a couch that's sitting in the corner. He sits down promptly and gestures for me to sit next to him. This is definitely going to be an awkward talk. I take and seat and cross my legs like a lady before giving him my undivided attention.

"So," he starts. I grimace; so far this is not good. Usually he will at least say hello or how are you doing. "What did you mean by it was just a normal date? Didn't you enjoy yourself or was it you just didn't like me?" he asks, quite upset. I close my eyes in thought. I can't believe he thinks that I didn't have fun or like him. I love him for crying out loud. How do I begin to explain that?

"Peter, I had so much fun last night and I really do like you. I was just trying to throw the girls off. I didn't want to go into every little piece of detail about our date though because that was between you and me. They probably would've been bored after the first line any way," I explain, looking into his gorgeous, cavernous, blue eyes. His pink lips lift slightly at the edges. He looks a little bit happier at least.

"Really, so you do like me. You were just trying to keep the girls away?" he asks nervously. I raise an eyebrow.

"Yes, pretty much!" I reply. He smiles at me.

"Thanks for explaining. I was starting to get a tiny bit panicked that you didn't like me anymore." I take a deep breath. Really?

"Relax, I promise there is no way that could ever happen. I really do." I pause and bite my lip. I'm about to continue when Peter puts a finger to my lips to stop me from talking.

"I lo – like you so much!" he blurts out. My eyes grow wide. "Did I just almost say what I think?" he asks, embarrassed. I smile and nod my head slowly. "Did I embarrass you?" he asks nervously. I shake my head. "Oh, but –" Now it's my turn to stop him from talking.

"I like you too, Peter; a lot more than you think. I just haven't had the guts to admit it," I tell him, blushing slightly. I look down at my legs, trying not to make eye contact, but fail miserably. He grabs my chin and pulls it up, making me look at him straight in the eyes.

"Don't be embarrassed, Ash. Honestly I'm flattered that you like me, hopefully, as much as I like you." He opens his arms to me, a welcome invitation for a hug. We both pull away at the same time after a second. I'm about to ask how the meeting this morning went when I suddenly hear the first lunch bell.

"Come along. Lunch is ready," I say while jumping up off the couch and holding out my hand. He takes it and I pull him up off the green chair. He immediately walks in front of me and pulls the door open. "See you later," I say while giving him a quick peck on the cheek and running out the door. I run quickly down the stairs and enter the busy kitchen.

"Oh, Ashley! I'm glad you're here! Can you please serve the wine?" Starstone asks politely. I smile and nod while grabbing the expensive bottle off her. I walk out the double door and head over to the giant, oak, dining table. My mouth starts to automatically water as it does every time I look at the food on the table; meat and fish and salads and fruits and cheeses and soups. The table setting itself is lovely. A centre piece of beautiful flowers, silver plates and cutlery, and crystal glasses. If I got to sit at this table, I don't think I'd ever leave!

"Would you like some wine, Peter?" I ask politely. I hear a few horrified gasps suddenly and glance curiously around. Some of the Lords and Ladies are looking at me as if I just killed their families. "I mean, Your Majesty?" I add on quickly while curtseying. It comes out like a question though, which probably makes it sound quite fake.

"Yes please, Ashley," Peter replies politely. I grab the crystal wine glass and fill it up as far as it can go. I put it back in front of him and am about to walk on when I feel him tap me on the shoulder.

"Yes, King Peter?" I say, turning around to face him. He winks at me before he starts to talk.

"Make sure you don't give any wine to Lucy or Edmund. It will make them hypo," he explains. I nod my head in acknowledgement and walk away.

Edmund POV

I'm sitting down eating my beautifully, delicious lunch, which consists of a leg of lamb with a side salad and fruit, when I notice Ashley. I know that Peter kissed her on her cheek on their date, so being a younger brother and possible in-law to this woman, I decide that it might be fun to tease her about it. "Peter and Ashley sitting in a tree, K.I.S.S.I – hey," I whisper, until she decides that it will be funny to pour wine onto my head. I lick a drop that has fallen onto my lips. I like the taste. It's really sweet, sort of like blue berry. Yum, my favourite!

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. I tripped. My fault," she apologises while I glare at her. She's so going to get it! Ashley just smirks at me. "Say that one more time and I will pour it down your shirt!" she threatens quietly into my ear. I gulp. A peel of laughter comes from my darling brother and sisters suddenly so my attention naturally falls over to them. I hear her giggle and see her as she walks over to Susan when I hear the name "Ashley" being called. I look over to Starstone, who's staring angrily at Ashley, and contain a snicker. She is going to get it.

Ashley POV

I walk over to where Starstone's standing after I hear her call my name, rather sheepishly I must admit. I'm guilty and I'm extremely afraid of the consequences.

"Why don't you come for a little walk with me?" she suggests while grabbing my wrist and pulling me out of the door and into the hallway.

"Um, okay," I agree as she drags me outside and into the town. "What did you want to talk about?" I ask, knowing full well that she's probably going to discuss the wine incident with me. Why did I do that? Why?

"I just wanted to say that I heard what King Edmund said to you at the table and that I do not approve of it. If I see you and the High King getting close, I will fire you and with no problem considering how many times I've talked to you about servant/royalty relationships. Have I made myself clear?" she asks furiously and dead set serious. I nod. "Good! Now don't you even think about ever pouring expensive wine on King Edmunds head again. Clear!" I nod again. This is far too frightening. "Go and clean the abandoned hallway now please. It needs a good scrubbing." I feel like I'm about to cry. Being humiliated in public like this is not exactly a happy occasion.

I leave Starstone, like she told me to, and head back into the castle. Quickly, I begin to make my way up the cold, marble steps to the top of the castle. After about ten minutes of climbing up the staircase, I finally reach the top. Goodness, I hate this hallway. The problem with this hallway is that it leads from nowhere to nowhere, which is also why it's so dirty. No one bothers about cleaning it, because no one ever comes up here. I walk slowly up to the supply closet that's placed at the end of it and open it up.

Let's see; I need a mop, a window cleaner, a bucket of water, a sponge, a towel, and soap. I collect the mop, a window cleaner, a sponge, a bucket of water, and a towel. I search around for the soap. Where is it? I glance up at the top shelf and sure enough there's the bottle of liquid soap. How typical. I get up onto my tip-toes to try and get it, but it's no use. I'm too much of a shrimp. I groan in frustration and slam my foot onto the ground. I vaguely see a shadow move up behind me and reach in front of me. I look up to notice an arm reach up and grab the soap off the shelf. I turn around only to be face to face with Peter. I raise an eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?" I ask suspiciously, narrowing my eyes at him.

Peter POV

I'm leaning up against the wooden wall waiting for Ashley to come back. I need to make sure that she hasn't been fired. Starstone seemed pretty angry with her. I hear footsteps starting to move up the staircase then and glance up. Sure enough there's Ashley looking as if she's about to cry. She's moving quite fast, so I decide to follow her. We walk up to the very top of the castle to a long and fairly wide hallway. This is odd. Why would she be up here? I notice her walk into a supply closet and then it clicks. She has to clean this. I'm assuming it's a form of punishment since this places looks like the kind of place where you may find ghosts and evil spirits wandering about. I walk silently up to the closet where I see her trying to reach some liquid soap that's on the very top shelf. Being the gentlemen that I am, I reach up and grab it down for her. She spins around and raises one of her thin eyebrows.

"What are you doing here?" she asks me suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at me. I think about it while looking into her bottomless, chocolate-brown eyes.

"I came to spend time with my girlfriend," I answer brightly.

Ashley POV

I roll my eyes at him. "Really? So you're going to help me clean this dusty, abandoned hallway just because you want to spend time with me?" He shrugs his shoulders at me. He can't be serious! If I was a part of the royal family there is no way that I would want to help clean a filthy hallway. No he can't be here to do that. There has to be some other bizarre reason. "Tell me the truth – please?" I ask him innocently with puppy dog eyes. He frowns.

"I just did. Ash, I want to spend time with you." I grimace. He picks up the bucket full of hot water, which I had grabbed on my way up here, and walks out into the hallway. I roll my eyes and pick up the rest of my materials before following him out. "What colour are these walls supposed to be, Ash?" he suddenly asks.

"I have no idea. No one usually comes up here because it's just the hallway. It doesn't lead anywhere. The only reason Starstone has asked me to clean it is because she's angry with me. The wine was imported from Calormen and was very expensive," I answer honestly as I heave everything over to a wall and place it down with a humph. He raises his eyebrows at me.

"Well I suppose we had better get started then to see what colour the walls are," he says enthusiastically. My eyes widen and I can't help but just stare at him in disbelief. He's dead serious. I can't believe he's going to help me clean. Shaking my head in amusement, I get the sponge and dip it in the soapy water. With one wipe across the wall, the sponge is immediately filthy with grime. My skin crawls while my body automatically shudders at the filthiness of it all. Yuck! I'm going to need a lot more sponges. I think I saw some more in the supply closet actually. I walk over to it with pursued lips before grabbing the box of scrubbers and sponges. After heaving the box back over to where Peter is, I slip a new scrubber into the water and begin to scrub the disgusting wall with all my might. After a while I grab the sponge and wipe away the excess dirt before gasping. You have got be kidding. The walls are gold. And I'm not talking about the dim looking gold either, but bright, bright gold.

"It must be paint, surely!" I say in awe. I watch Peter as he walks up to it and knocks on the gold part twice.

"Ash, these walls are real gold!" he exclaims, the shock of it all evident on his face. My body goes slack, my hand releasing the disgusting sponge. Real gold! All this time this golden hallway has been covered in dust and grime and no one even realised. "We have to clean this hallway and fast!" I nod my head in agreement.

It takes us four and a half hours of scrubbing, but we're finally finished. We both stand at the end of the hallway with bright smiles on our faces. It's so pretty. The west wall is pretty much a window. It overlooks the Great River and the waterfall with a view of the forest as well. The east wall is bright and made of real gold, shiny and metallic. As for the flooring, well, it's made up of sparkling, white-gold tiles. The roof is pretty as well. It has gorgeous paintings covering it from one end to the other. Each picture seems to tell a different story. As I look closely at them I realise that they are starting to move a little bit. There's magic up here; of that I'm sure. "We should make this our hallway!" I suggest. Peter smiles at me and is waiting for me to continue. "We can decorate it how we want and come up here when we want time together. No one ever comes up here. It's the perfect hiding spot," I suggest excitedly. He walks up beside me and drapes an arm over my shoulder. I quickly kiss his cheek.

"That sounds like a great idea to me. In fact let's do that. It'll be fun to do something other than attend meetings and run court sessions!" he agrees with me gently. "Hey, what's that door over there?" he suddenly and surprisingly asks after a peaceful silence. I grin as he points over to a silver door over in the far corner.

"Peter, that's the supply closet we've been using," I tell him. He's not very observant. I feel him glance behind us.

"No, that's the supply closet behind us," he retorts, while pointing to a different silver door in the other corner. I frown. I swear that the door I cleaned over there was the supply closet. I glance behind me and notice Peter tilting his head like a curious, little, puppy dog. I hold in a chuckle. He wanders over to it very cautiously. "You have to come and see this, Ash!" I raise an eyebrow and curiously waltz over to where he's standing. My eyes land on the silver door before they widen in surprise. It has a big, black sign in the middle of it that has big, white letters on it that reads 'OUT OF BOUNDS!' How in Narnia did I not notice that huge, black sign while I was cleaning it? "I think there's more on this floor than you first thought," he says. I wonder if this has been here the whole time?

"I wonder what's in there," I say distractedly while starting to reach for the door handle. Warm hands wrap themselves around my wrists and pull me back.

"I wouldn't go in there," Peter starts. He leans down and whispers quietly into my ear, "It might be haunted. What if a ghost placed the sign here while we weren't looking?" I giggle. He has the craziest imagination.

"Yes, right, haunted. Nice one, Peter!" I say sarcastically. I walk forward and start reaching for the door again before Peter pulls me back again, spinning me around so that I'm facing him.

"Seriously, Ash, I really don't think we should. I have a very strong feeling in the pit of my stomach that Aslan put that sign there and that in the future he might let us look inside, but, for now, can we please just leave it alone," he begs. I look at the door handle behind me and then back to Peter. His blue eyes are boring into my mine.

"You're right; Aslan does usually have a certain time for everything," I agree kindly while giving him a hug. He hugs me back. I know curiosity will get the better of me someday, but for now, I'm fine. That door will just have to have stare downs with me.

"What do you say that we go and buy some candles and decorations for this hallway?" he asks curiously. I grin and nod my head. "Come along then," he says, pulling me to the town. We shop around for a few hours before taking all the stuff upstairs. It's weird that none of the guards notice us together. They just bow to Peter then keep walking. Well, at least I'm not in trouble. Once we get upstairs we hang everything up and put everything down in their places. We stand at the end of the hallway once we finish.

"I love this hallway!" I say enthusiastically. Peter simpers at me.

"It definitely is pretty," he says while he walks forward and stands next to me. "Don't you have to finish work for the day?" he asks curiously. I nod.

"Yes, unfortunately I do," I say while I turn around and give him a hug. It isn't until I lay my head on his shoulder that I realize how tired I actually am. I feel like I can fall asleep at any second. I yawn. Slowly his arms wrap around me before I'm suddenly airborne.

"Some warning would've been nice!" I chasten.

"I think you should have the rest of the night off," he tells me, ignoring my comment. I relax into his arms and nod in agreement.

"I wish it was that easy, but I've been coming in fairly late recently, I need to make up for all the hours I've missed," I explain before yawning again.

"Okay then, but you have to promise me that you'll ask Starstone for a day off sometime. You need a day of rest," he complains. I nod again. "Or you could just ask your mother to take over for a day. Which reminds me, why didn't I meet your parents last night?" he asks suddenly. I shut my eyes tightly and frown. "Ashley, are you okay?" he inquires worriedly.

"I need to tell you something."


	7. Keep You Two A Secret

"I need to tell you something."

"Should we sit down for this?"

"Probably." He walks us carefully over to the new lounge before placing me down on one side of it. He the continues to fall down onto the other side before stretching his arms up above him and draping one over the head of the couch. He angles his body slightly so he's facing me before gesturing for me to continue. I curl up in my corner before starting. "Peter...my parents both...died...when Bella was two. They were protecting us...from the White Witch and she...killed them with her...knife."

"They didn't stand a chance...against her. I promised my mum and dad that if anything ever happened to them, that...that I would raise Bella and keep her safe. That's why I'm working so hard. That's why this job is so important to me. It's also why I need us to keep our relationship private. I can't afford to be fired!" I explain slowly, trying to fight the waterworks that are gathering in my eyelids. A few escape though and I'm absolutely certain Peter floats over to me. I've enveloped in his arms within seconds.

"Ashley, I'm really sorry about bringing it up. I didn't know," he apologises. I look up at his face then. The first thing I see are his deep, blue eyes staring at me. They hold nothing but love and compassion. I smile weakly.

"I know. You don't have to apologise though," I tell him reassuringly. He plants his lips on the top of my head before pulling me into him, his chin now resting on my hair.

"I know and I promise, Ash, that if you get fired over this, I'm going to let you and Bella move in with me immediately. I will never let you go without food and stuff like that just because you can't afford it," he tells me. Go away tears! I don't have time for you. He cares so much for me; yet, we've known each other for only a year. I know now that I'm in love with him. There is no doubt in the back of my mind about it. We sit here just holding each other for what feels like an eternity until the vague sound of owls hooting pulls us back to reality. I look up at the new, golden sundial and sigh. Ten pm.

"I have to get home to Bella. It's late," I tell him while standing up and stretching my weak limbs. He nods and stands up himself as he runs one of his hands through his messy hair.

"That's probably not a bad idea. I'm sure your little sister is missing you," he tells me as he picks up his crown off the table. I never even saw him put it down.

"She's used to being alone at home now. Usually she'll just go and visit her friends for the day," I explain while walking over to the staircase.

"Oh well, I guess that's fair enough."

"I have to go. I lo – I'll see you tomorrow." That was close. I give him a very quick peck on the cheek before making my escape down the staircase. I can't believe I almost just told him that I love him. The stables are pitch black when I enter them, the torches having all been blown out by the heavy wind. I pull open Crystals stable before jumping up onto her back. Her fur is ice cold.

"About time you got here. I'm freezing my backside off," she whines.

"I'm so sorry, Crystal. I was talking to the High King and lost track of time. Now come on; lets go home," I say. The town is eerily quiet and deserted. There are a few owls and fruit bats flying around as well, just to add to the spookiness. We ride through the gates slowly before we pick up speed and enter the dark forest. The freezing, cold wind is blowing on my face as I ride next to the Great River. I'm certain there are drops of rain in there aswell.

We reach the cottage quickly and ride on to the back stable. I jump down off Crystal and lock her up in her stable for the night. Something doesn't seem quite right as I walk towards the front door and get out the key to unlock it. I open it slowly. Everything is just as I had left it this morning. Thank Aslan for that!

"Ugh, Bella. What have I told you about leaving the candles lit?" I groan loudly as I enter the living room. Honestly, is she trying to burn the place down? I go over to it to blow it out, but stop periodically. A note?

I'm sleeping over at Sarra's for the week.

My forehead creases into a frown. A week? That's not like Bella at all. I pick up the candle and walk slowly upstairs to look in Bella's bedroom. Her bag is gone along with all of the clothes I had laid out for her. I smile. That makes me feel better. I walk back down stairs to my bedroom and put my pyjamas on. I lay down in my bed and try to get comfortable, but I can't. It is not like Bella to sleepover her friend's house for a whole week. My mind is tumbling around in a frenzy. Maybe I should ask Cabigail tomorrow whether she is or not. I close my eyes and am glad when I find myself falling asleep.

I wake up at four the next morning, aching for Peter's touch again. I jump up out of bed and practically run to the closet. I yank it open and rush to find a dress. I pull out my pink one and put it on quickly. I grab out my pink shoes and put them on as well, almost tripping in the process. I brush through my long, brown, messy hair, roughly straightening it out, only to put it up in a high ponytail. I take a glance in the mirror and smile. I look nice for once. I run to the kitchen and grab a pear before running out the door. I'm going to walk to work today. It's healthier than riding a horse everywhere.

The woods are quiet and misty. I can hear the hoot of an owl in the nearby tree, but besides that there is no noise. My mind wanders back to the nightmare that I had had and I immediately feel nervous and vulnerable by myself. I start walking a tiny bit faster as I remember the snap of the jaws and the bright, red eyes. I reach the castle in one piece, much to my relief, and quickly run to the front entrance. I sprint up the staircase and reach the door only to be greeted by Malina.

"Good morning. You're in a lot earlier than I was expecting." I smile at her and walk over to the white sofa. I sit down and grab the glass of water that is sitting on the table with my name on it. I have a sip and instantly feel refreshed.

"Said the one who is usually here at around eight," I shoot back grinning. She laughs and takes a seat next to me. She turns to me then, her green eyes shooting through me.

"Guess who's not coming in today?" she says quickly, smiling crazily.

"I don't know, who?" I ask, expecting her to ramble on for hours.

"Starstone! She had some errands to run today so she's not here. How great is that?" I smile widely. Starstone is not here, which means I don't need to be as careful with Peter. Hallelujah!

"You know, Mal, that is great news. Now Starstone's not here to destroy all my plans with the High King. I mean, seriously, could today get any better?" Malina's about to reply but I stop her. "Don't answer that," I command quickly before practically running up the stairs. I stop in front of a sundial in the hallway and look at the time. Four forty-five am. Peter won't mind if I wake him up yet, will he?

...He won't mind. I run over to the door and am instantly held back by arms on each side of me.

"What excuse do you have to be in here at this time in the morning, Ashley?" Oreius asks. I spin around to look at him. Great, I don't have an excuse.

"Um...Starstone told me too," I answer weakly with a puny smile. Oreius raises an eyebrow.

"Right so Starstone told you to wake up the High King from in thin air did she?" Whoops.

"No Emolise told me Starstone wanted me too," I reply while slowly reaching for the door handle. He grabs my wrist. I glare up at him. "Just let me in, please? The truth is I left something in there yesterday, but I didn't want to say the truth because I thought that you would think that I'm lying if I did," I explain. That sounded a little believable, right?

"Fine you can go in, but only because I admire you trying to lie," he tells me. "Just grab what you need and get out." He walks down the staircase then and I smile and quietly enter. As soon as I close the door, the sound of snoring echoes throughout the horribly messy bedroom. I walk, or should I say climb, my way over to the bed. I look up at Peter and frown when I notice that he's in the dead centre of the bed – again. Stupid double king sized bed. I jump onto it and crawl over to the centre, so that I'm kneeling next to him. I lean down to his ear carefully and whisper,

"Peter. Time to get up!" He stirs a little bit, flipping over onto his stomach. I huff. "Peter," I whisper a little bit louder. Snore. I groan and then proceed to slap him across his head.

"Ouch, what the..." He pauses when he sees me. "Good morning, Ashley. What do you want?" he asks grumpily. I smile innocently and lay down next to him.

"Guess what? Starstone's had to run some errands today so she's not coming in, which means that we can spend the entire day together," I tell him excitedly. He smiles tiredly and yawns. He glances up at the silver sundial that hangs over his fireplace and then turns his attention back to me.

"You woke me up at four fifty to tell me that we have the day together even though I am the High King and have several meetings to attend to today?" he asks incredulously. I nod slowly. I should really remember that he actually has things to do as High King.

"Yes, it seems that way." He rolls his eyes at me and lays back down onto the soft mattress before slowly closing his gorgeous eyes. It's silent for a few moments before I notice him open his eyes again.

"You're not going to leave me alone until I get up are you?" he inquires doubtfully. I shake my head.

"No, I'm not. So you better get up and get dressed unless you want freezing, cold water poured over your head," I suggest. He's up and out before I even finish my sentence. I smile innocently at him and get off it myself.

"You know, servants shouldn't be threatening people who have the power to kill them," he tells me matter-of-factly while opening his creaking closet door. I watch as he quickly pulls out a shirt and throws it on before walking into the walk-in-closet and closing the door behind him. I wait for a few minutes before the door opens again. He has put his crown back on his head and is wearing a brown and gold tunic with long dark green sleeves, a golden cape and gold tights. I have to admit it myself, he looks attractive. "What?" he asks while looking at my face.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking that you look smashing in your gorgeous attire," I explain innocently. I get the privilege for a second to see his cheeks go a bright red. "Who's the one blushing now?" I tease him as I remember our conversation from a few nights ago. He chuckles.

"Taunt all you like, but you won't see my blush for the rest of the week," he promises. I laugh and go over to give him a hug. He buries his face in my hair as I bury mine in his chest. Our hug breaks apart as we both hear the bedroom door groan open.

"Ashley, time's up. I hope you've found what you were looking for," Edmauel tells me whilst strolling into the room. Thankfully, I have time to move over to Peter's bed before he has time to see us together. "Why are you up so early, Your Majesty?" he scrutinises while turning to Peter.

"To be truthfully honest with you, Edmauel, I have no idea," Peter tells him while I stifle a chuckle. One evil chuckle escapes though, which earns me a strange look from Edmauel and a deadly glare from Peter. I shut my mouth tightly and smirk.

"Oh, well, Ashley, leave the premises now and let the High King do his job, just like you should be doing, which reminds me, why aren't you in uniform?" he asks, his hand resting on his sword hilt.

"I forgot to wash it so I have no clean ones?" He sighs and rolls his eyes at my lame excuse. Even the towns people know that there are spare servant uniforms every where.

"Go and get changed and get to work," he commands while turning towards the door. I nod and quickly exit the room with Edmauel right behind me. I hear the door close right before there's a hand on my shoulder. "Can I please talk to you in private, perhaps in the abandoned hallway?" I nod and walk quietly up the stairs. They groan beneath my feet as I take one uneasy step after another. We reach the top slowly. Edmauel walks ahead of me and looks around the newly-decorated corridor before turning back to me. "Nice job. This place looks great," he compliments. I smile.

"Thanks. It took quite a while, I'll tell you that much, but what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" I ask uneasily. He frowns and gestures for me to have a seat. I do as he says and look up at him.

"Do you know that I can hear everything that you and the High King say when you're in his bedroom together?" he asks, raising an eyebrow at me. My stomach knots. He's going to fire me, I know it, or tell Starstone, which, to be honest, would be even worse.

"No, I didn't," I say sickly. My stomach has an uneasy knot in the middle of it.

"Well I can. I know that King Peter is courting you and if I even had the tiniest bit of respect for Starstone, I would be telling her right now, but to tell you the truth, I don't have any respect for the woman. You two make a very nice couple and I would hate to see you get fired over something so minuscule. I promise you, I won't tell anyone," he swears while putting a hand to his heart. I sigh happily. At least Edmauel can back me up if anything bad happens. "I can't really find any negatives about this situation at all. It only seems right considering that your Great Grandparents were both King and Queen for a -" He stops talking abruptly realising his horrible mistake as he takes in my shocked expression.

"My Great Grandparents were King and Queen?" I ask disbelieving him. He looks down at the floor sadly.

"Yes, they both were. That is before the White Witch arrived though. As soon as she was here all hell broke loose. Your Great Grandfather built the house that you're living in now when she started to use her winter spell on Narnia. They never came out of that house. The last thing anyone heard from them was that they both died quite a few years later and left behind their one and only son (and rightful heir to the throne may I add on) but since your father isn't...um...here anymore either, let alone your grandfather, you should be the one to take over for him. It's in your blood," he explains to me slowly so as to let everything sink in. I nod slowly while listening to the slight sound of the wind whistling through the open window. I really should've studied my family's history.

"I never knew that. Why didn't my father ever mention it?" I ask rhetorically. Edmauel shrugs his shoulders.

"I suppose it was because he didn't want you to think that the whole country would lie on your shoulders if he died," he suggests. I smile bleakly. He has a good point.

"Sure, let's just go with that," I agree, cheering up a little bit.

"Alright, it was nice to talk with you, Ashley. Just make sure you get changed into your uniform okay," he tells me. I smile at him.

"Thanks, Edmauel." I give him a hug, before running quickly down the staircase. My mind's in a total frenzy as I enter Peter's bedroom again. I can't believe my father was supposed to be king! Well you learn something new every day. I swing the door open and close it behind me quietly, before spinning around to face the messy bedroom. Peter's lying in the middle of the bed reading a very boring looking book.

"I thought you were told to stay off the premises, Ashley," he says in a teasing tone as he puts down his book to look at me with a raised eyebrow. I stick my tongue out at him and walk casually over to his bed, kicking stuff out of the way as I go along.

"I was, now onto more important things. When in Narnia are you going to clean your bedroom?" I question him while jumping onto the bed and crawling over to the middle of it to lounge down next to him.

"I thought that was your job?" he scrutinises. I laugh.

"Oh, it is, but you made this mess, so you should be the one to clean it up. It's only fair since I clean up every other mess you make," I say rolling my eyes. He smirks at me.

"Now back to the premises thing –" he pauses as I put my hand up to stop him.

"Edmauel knows," I tell him smartly. He freezes.

"Edmauel knows that we're together?" he whispers breathlessly into my ear. I nod. He seems to freeze on the spot as if trying to figure out something else to say. "He's not going to tell Starstone is he?"

"No, he promised me that he wouldn't say anything," I tell him carefully. I hear Peter exhale slowly.

"Good. I'm sort of happy that he knows now. It means one less person to hide it from," he explains. I laugh freely not worrying whether Edmauel hears me or not. At that exact moment the door flies open to show an out-of-breath Malina.

"Bad news, she's here!"

"Shoot! See you soon Pet – I mean King Peter," I shout over my shoulder as I run out of the bedroom, closing the door behind me. Malina grabs my hand and drags me swiftly up the stairs. Once we reach the top, she pushes me into a spare room. I look around at all my friends – who are sitting on the floor in a circle – confused. I vaguely hear the door close before Malina drags me over to the circle and sits me down on the floor.

"Something really bad has happened..." Emolise starts before trailing off. I look over to her and frown.

"What? What's happened that has you all so worried," I ask demandingly. The girls all look at each other and nod at Emolise.

"Um, Starstone might...have, um...figured something out," she stutters. My eyes grow wide and I shake my head. No, she can't have!

"What has she figured out?" I ask wearily.

"Um, she knows that something is going on between you and King Peter and she told me that...um...you better watch out because as soon as she has evidence, she's firing you," I gasp. Oh no!

"She can't fire me! I have to look after Bella and myself. If she fires me –" I stop abruptly, remembering with perfect clarity the conversation that Peter and I had last night.

"I know and I promise Ash that if you get fired over this, I'm going to let you and Bella move in with me immediately. I will never let you go without food and stuff like that, just because you can't afford it. I promise."

I look over to my friends and grin. "I don't mind if I get fired. Peter promised me last night that he would always protect me and look after me and that if I got fired I will be allowed to move into the castle with him," I tell them while suddenly becoming very interested in the colour of the walls. I hear a few gasps as I look over at Cabigail. Oh that's right! "Cabigail, is Bella staying at your house for the week?" I ask. She nods.

"Yes, Bella and Zara are at home right now playing with their dolls." I let out a slow breath as I listen to her. Thank Aslan! I was beginning to wonder whether or not she had been kidnapped or something horrible like that.

"Okay good. I was worried," I tell her. She smiles at me sweetly. I hear one of my friends clear their throat just before Mirasdean's voice echoes throughout the empty, cold room.

"What are we going to do about Starstone?" she asks, getting instantly down to the important stuff.

"I don't think we can do anything to her, but, Ash, you and King Peter are going to have to be far more careful than what you are at the moment with your...relationship," Malina says. I nod.

"Right, we need a plan," I say while leaning in towards the centre of the circle. The girls all lean forward at the same time I do.

"Why don't you and King Peter hang out together in public? We can warn you when Starstone is coming and you two can quickly separate," Tamilla suggests as she plays absent-mindedly with her long, curly, light-brown hair. I grimace.

"We can't do that, Tamilla. Taking it 'out in public' means that everyone is going to see Peter and I together. Word spreads quickly around here. It would most definitely reach Starstone in a matter of minutes," I explain. It would've been a good idea if it wasn't for the public thing though. There's a long silence. "I got it!" I shout loudly, making Mal and Ka jump. My friends all turn to me expectantly. "I'll just spend time with him in our secret hallway. We can have a messenger bird and every time you see Starstone going upstairs you can send the messenger bird up to warn us," I suggest.

"That's a great idea, Ash!" Malina agrees. There are chants of other agreements following hers. "Okay, so it's decided. You and Peter can go upstairs and do whatever you like and then when Starstone go's upstairs we will warn you." I nod.

"Someone has to stay up on this level though; just to make sure that the enemy doesn't come up past this room," Henrietté says as she looks around at us all with her narrow, grey eyes.

"You're right. Killara you can stay up here and just pretend to clean this room if Starstone comes up okay. We'll leave the messenger bird with you. As soon as she starts heading up give the bird the message and send the bird up. Got it?" Emolise asked.

"Got it," Lara replies. I smile and stand up slowly.

"Perfect, it's all planned out now. I'll go and talk to Peter about it. So I'll see you all later," I say while running out of the freezing, cold room. I practically skip down the staircase and through the hallway until I reach Peter's room. I reach my hand out quickly and do three, quick taps on the door with my knuckle. No answer. I try again. Still no answer! "High King Peter!" I call into the room while slowly opening the door. It squeaks as it opens slowly, almost killing me. "Peter," I whisper lightly as I notice him sitting at his desk in the corner of the room. He jumps a bit before throwing something into a draw and slamming the oak draw closed. He spins around wearing a very innocent smile.

"Yes, Ashley," he says, smiling like a complete idiot. I walk forward my eyes trained on the suddenly spotless ground. There is no way he cleaned all this himself.

"Before I say what I want to say, I have to ask," I pause as he gestures for me to continue. "Who has cleaned the place that you call your bedroom?" I ask angrily. Peter's smile falls as he reads my angry expression.

"Um, someone named Jemila came in and cleaned it all up for me," he tells me simply. Of course she did!

"Peter, Jemila is evil," I explain through gritted teeth. He seems to sink back a little.

"What do you mean she's evil, Ash? She seemed perfectly nice to me." I walk forward and sit on the edge of his huge bed before answering.

"She hates me and I hate her, so please don't talk to her," I beg. He smiles and stands up slowly, before walking over and lying on the bed behind me.

"Don't worry. I totally ignored her like Aslan told me to. Apparently Kings and Queens aren't allowed to have normal conversations with servants," he says. I look over my shoulder at him with a smirk.

"Really?" I ask curiously. Since when has that been a rule?

"Yes, really," he answers. Fingers tickle my back suddenly as he begins to draw random patterns on it. It's actually quite relaxing. "Now what were you going to ask me?" he requests.

"Um...the girls and I have figured out a plan so that we can spend more time together without getting caught," I start with a slight humming noise. He smiles encouragingly and gestures with his other hand for me to continue. "Killara will stay on the floor underneath the abandoned hallway with a messenger bird and when she sees Starstone heading upstairs she will give the bird a warning and send it up to us so that we can hide," I explain. I watch as Peter runs his left hand through his chaotic, bed hair and clenches his jaw.

"That would be a great plan, if I had time to spend with you." I frown, upset with his answer.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask sadly. I feel him remove his fingers from my back before he leans back against the headboard.

"I'm the High King, Ash, I have a lot of duties to attend too and not much free time to spend as I please. I would love to spend time with you in private, but at the moment it's just not possible. I'm too busy." I grimace. "In saying that though, I will spend time with you at night on dates, but it won't be very often," he adds. So it's day two and I'm already learning the downsides of dating the High King. Yay for me.

"Okay then. I suppose nothing can be done about it," I reply. He smiles apologetically just as I hear the door handle start rattling. My head whips around to see who it is just as Starstone enters. She's looking at the floor giving me just enough time to pick something up and head towards the desk in the far corner. I throw the ink container into the open drawer before turning around.

"Ashley, what are you doing in here? And why aren't you in uniform?" she asks me angrily. I shrivel back a little bit as she walks forward, tossing some towels onto the ground. I hear the quiet thump as they land on the stone flooring. I'm about to say something when Peter interjects.

"Ashley just finished cleaning my bedroom. It looked like a garbage pit this morning," he tells her in a very convincing tone. She turns to look at him carefully before bowing and turning around to me. Her glare is back out in force.

"Okay then. Ashley, we need you down stairs in the kitchen now, but first get dressed, you can't be recognised as a servant by wearing normal clothes," she commands. I nod once before hurriedly scurrying out of my boyfriend's chambers. I hurry down the staircase and quickly fling open the clothing cabinet before I grab a servant dress and throw it on. After running – or should I say sprinting – over to the kitchen I fling open the door. I have got to talk to Malina before Starstone gets here.

"Hey, are you alright, Ash? You seem to be in a rush," Malina says.

"Yes, I'm fine, I just had to talk to you before Starstone came back down. I need advice. Peter told me that he's so busy that he doesn't have any time to himself, which means he doesn't have any time to spend with me. Do you think he's making an excuse?" I ask. I can feel tears welling up in my eyes from the simple thought of Peter not wanting to spend time with me. "What if he doesn't really like me?"

"Well he is the High King, Ashley. It's hard to say. He is very busy, but from what I know about King Peter, he is a very honest man. I think if he didn't like you, he would've told you straight out. Besides, the girls and I have all noticed how he looks at you. He likes you without a doubt," she tells me sincerely. I smile.

"You're right – as usual," I comment. She laughs and then gives me a side hug. "Thanks, Mal. You suddenly made me feel a whole lot better." She beams brightly just as I hear Starstone walk in.

"You're welcome, now we better get to work unless we want to get fired." She winks at me before hurriedly skipping off towards the sink. I grimace. Just because Peter promised me that I can move in with him once I'm fired doesn't mean that I'm deliberately going to go out of my way to get sacked. Does it? The practical side of my brain is screaming at me, telling me not to even think about the possibility of getting fired on purpose. The other side is yelling the complete opposite at me. If I get fired on purpose, would Peter even let me stay with him, or is that only going to happen if Starstone catches us together?

I ponder on my thoughts aimlessly as I go over to a spare bench and grab the cutlery, plates, and glasses before stacking them neatly and carefully onto a gold serving tray. I exit the kitchen carefully, tray in hands, and walk over to the dining room. I stroll casually over to the huge, gold table in the middle of the room before placing a plate, diamond glass, and the appropriate cutlery on the empty table in front of each golden chair. Two arms snake their way around my waist at that exact moment and drag me backwards. I smile before spinning around in their arms. I jump a little as I realise that it isn't the High King like I had expected. No, it's King Edmund of all people.

"Hey, honey. You want to go out on a date later tonight?" he asks while wagging his bushy eyebrows. I roll my eyes and then put on my 'thinking face'.

"Hmm, let me think about that. Um...NO!" I answer him. I hear heavy laughing coming from the other side of the room as I unwind his arms from around my waist.

"Edmund, WHY ON EARTH DID YOU JUST ASK MY GIRLFRIEND OUT ON A DATE?!" Peter bellows angrily. I look over at Peter and then back to Edmund and burst out laughing. Edmund looks scared out of his brain.

"King Edmund, I thought you said that it was easy picking up a girl? Why did she say no if you're such a girl magnet?" A young boy of about twelve with short, red hair asks.

"Girl Magnet?" I laugh out loud before I feel Peter's hand lace together with mine. I feel him shaking with laughter beside me as well.

"Yes, King Edmund said that he gets any girl he wants," the little boy tells Peter and I.

"Right, King Edmund why are you lying to innocent, little boys?" I ask. I look over to him and contain more laughter as his face is beet red.

"You couldn't have played along, Ashley? I mean golly I'm trying to earn a reputation here!" he whines. I roll my eyes at him.

"Whatever, King Edmund," I say before turning to my boyfriend. "Are you busy at the moment?" I ask him, curious as to why he would already be in the dining room and not in the court room.

"Nope, it turns out the meeting got cancelled so I can spend time with you after all," he explains to me happily. I smile widely. Instantly I grab his hand and start dragging him upstairs to the abandoned hallway.

"Hey, Ash, is our plan 'keep you two a secret' starting now?" Malina asks as we pass her on the fifth level of the castle.

"Yes, it is," I tell her while still dragging Peter by his hand up the next staircase. "One more thing, Mal, where did that name come from?" I ask, curiosity ringing like bells out of my voice.

"We just thought it was cool. Anyway, see you two soon," she says before quickly running down the flights of stairs that we just came up.

"Am I allowed to say that I thought you were only joking when you told me about your plan or will that be an insult?" Peter asks. I slap his arm playfully (He just laughs at that) and continue to drag him up the slippery flight of stairs. We reach the hallway eventually, both of us out of breath. Those stairs are honestly killers. Peter lets go of my hand and lounges down onto the sofa while I try to catch my breath back. How am I this unfit?

"Are you alright?"

"Yep, just slowly dying. Give me a second, won't you." He purses his lips, trying to withhold the laugh that I'm sure is just bursting to come out of him.

"Alright, I'm good now." I stroll over to him and effectively fall down on the opposite side of the couch to him. I probably could get up and move so I'm cuddling him, but it's easier to just lay this way. Besides, I'm boiling hot. I sigh in content as I feel fingers wrap around my ankles. Peter grabs my legs and pulls them up so their over his lap before he starts to massage them. That feels so good. My gaze flounders over to the clear windows and I honestly can't help but admire the view.

It's beautiful today. The sunshine's shining on the entire forest causing some of the trees to turn lime green. The Great River is glistening like a diamond and the usually loud roar of the waterfall falling over the cliff face is only a quiet whisper from up here. It's days like these that I wish I were a child again, so that I can go outside and play in the river all day. For the second time in my life, I'm jealous of my little sister.

"What are you thinking about?" Peter asks curiously. I shrug.

"I'm just thinking about how beautiful it is outside and how I wish I could be a child again. That way I could swim all day and play tag with the other children instead of being locked up in a palace, being forced to clean it all day, every day," I explain, with a tiny hint of regret in my tone. The sound of shuffling on the couch brings my tired gaze back to my boyfriend.

"I don't wish you were a child again. If you were a child than I wouldn't have met you and I wouldn't be able to court you," he tells me matter-of-factly. I smile weakly. Why does he always have to be right?

"Okay, fine then. I take back what I said." He smiles at me.

"Good," he replies, his hands making their way to my feet. I giggle slightly before a peaceful silence envelopes the room. I don't really mind though. It isn't like some silences where it's just plain awkward. This silence allows us to just sit here and soak each other in. In the silence I can hear the faint chirps of the birds in the trees below combined with the light roar of the waterfall. It makes it sort of romantic in a way. I shift my body to the side so that my eyes are looking straight at the forbidden doorway. It gets me thinking.

"Peter, what do you think is behind that forbidden door?" I watch him closely as he tosses a glance over to the doorway and then turns his full, undivided attention back to me.

"Maybe a room full of dead corpses or a ghost or just an empty room. I'm not really sure." He pauses. "Or maybe, just maybe, it could be something specifically designed for us," he thoughtfully adds on. I raise one of my eyebrows at the last idea. Hmm, I wonder. I swing my legs off the couch, being very careful not to hit Pete in the process, before I get up and walk over to the silver door. I take one last look at the sign before putting my hand on the handle and turning it. "Ashley, don't go in there! Aslan has put it there for a reason! Seriously please listen," he pleads with me. I sigh in defeat and let go of the handle before turning around to face him. He's standing in front of me now, his arms crossed in front of him.

"Tell me, what's the worst thing that can happen?" I ask. He seems to be at war with himself for a little bit before shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine, let's have a look," he says regretfully. I beam widely at him before turning back around and turning the door handle again. I can feel Peter's presence beside me in an instant. I start to push the door open bit by bit. ROOAAARRR! I jump, my head flying over my right shoulder as I look around the room. Smoke rises from all the candles that have now been blown out, but besides that, there's nothing there.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," I say, turning back to Peter. He nods his head in agreement. He reaches past me and closes the door again, my mouth turns down into a frown. "Sorry. I should've listened to you," I apologise. His face seems to soften up right before he pulls me in for a hug.

"It's okay. I have to admit that I was sort of curious...but I know we'll find out in the future so it's all good," he tells me while pulling away to look at my face. I smile weakly. He grabs my hand and is about to lead me towards the couch. As we turn though, we are both suddenly face to face with The Great Lion, Aslan, himself!


	8. Surprises

Peter instantly lets go of my hand and we both bow. "Rise, Peter and Ashley," he commands us gently, but firmly. We do as he says, before I look slowly up at his face. He doesn't look too angry, but he doesn't look too happy either. He looks sort of like how a person looks when they can't make up their mind on whether they want to be angry or happy with someone else. I immediately feel guilty and hope that I'm going to get all the blame instead of Peter. "Children, you have disobeyed. That room is for later in your lives, when you two are a little bit more serious about your relationship. I put that sign there to keep everyone out. That includes the two of you," he tells us sternly. We both nod.

"Sorry, Aslan. It was my fault," Peter tells Aslan. No!

"Aslan, he's lying. I swear it was my fault. I was the one that started to open the door and I was the one that convinced him to come in with me. I'm the one who's sorry." Peter nudges me in the shoulder and I turn my head a little bit so that I can look at him.

"You don't have to do that. I was trying to get you out of trouble," Peter tells me in a hushed whisper.

"It was my fault though," I argue frustrated.

"I was stopping you from getting fired," Peter retorts me in a whisper again. That shuts me up in an instant. I hear Aslan clear his throat. We both turn quickly to give him our attention again.

"Ashley, because of your truthfulness towards the problem, you and Peter will not be punished, but I do expect you to learn a lesson from this," Aslan says.

"Thank you, Aslan. I swear I will always obey mysterious signs that are put on doors," I promise. Peter nods his head in agreement next to me.

"Good. Now, Ashley, you'd better go down stairs and do your job. I can't stop Starstone from firing you since it is in her job description." I nod my head and grab Peter's hand before dragging him down the staircase. Once we are at the bottom of the castle, I pull him over to the warm, lounging area. We sit down on one of the comfy, white sofas together before I cuddle into Peter's side. He drapes an arm kindly over my shoulder.

"What would your friends do if they saw us cuddled up like this?" he asks me. I shrug.

"They would most likely squeal and jump up and down like crazy maniacs," I state matter-of-factly. He laughs.

"I could imagine your friends doing that," he says once he stops laughing.

I smile. "Yes, they can get quite crazy at times," I admit carefully.

"So where do you know them all from?" he asks, curiosity dripping from his voice. I shuffle around a little bit so that I can look him straight in the eyes.

"Where do I start?" I ask, mostly to myself. "Well Emolise is Starstone and Oreius' daughter (I think you know that already) and my mother was really good friends with Starstone, so I've known her all my life. Mirasdean I met when I was seven, we worked here together..."

"Wait," he interrupts abruptly. "You worked here when you were seven?" I nod my head.

"My mother used to work in the castle, so I used to tag along to work with her to learn how to do everything properly, so that, when I grew up, I would be able to get a job as a servant just like her, only my mother was a lot higher ranks than what I am right now," I explain.

"Wow!" he exclaims. "Anyway, sorry to interrupt; carry on." I chuckle a little bit under my breath before continuing.

"Um, where was I, oh yes, Mirasdean is also a Calormene."

"What's a Calormene?" he asks carefully. I grit my teeth.

"A Calormene is someone who lives in Calormen, that's way south of Narnia, across the Great Sea of Sand." He looks thoughtfully off into the distance for a moment before turning his attention back to me.

"Continue."

"That's why she has dark, tanned skin. Her parents sent her here when she was eight because they didn't want her. Cabigail, one of the blond-haired centaurs, has lived next door to me since we were both in diapers, so that's how I know her. Killara, the other blond-haired centaur, arrived around a year ago. She used to live in Archenland, but she moved here with her parents and nine younger siblings looking for work. She instantly fitted in with us and she's been in our friend group ever since."

"Where's Archenland?"

"The country south of Narnia, now back to my friends and no more interrupting or I will slap you," I threaten teasingly. He just rolls his eyes. "Kabella I met one day when I went for a swim in the ocean. She's half-mermaid." I put a finger up to Peter's lips when I think he's going to say something. He chuckles before giving it a kiss. I shoot him a glare.

"As I was saying, that was when I was ten. She started working here when she was twelve for extra money. I met Tamilla here when I was eight. She's a pretty psycho faun! Henrietté, the satyr, came about three years ago from the Lone Islands and, before you ask where they are, they're off the coast line. She was very poor and so needed the money. And last, but not least, Malina. Her family is really close to mine. So of course her parents were upset when my parents died, but, like Emolise, I've known her all my life. She's like a sister to me," I end, smiling.

"What were your parents like?" he questions. I look up at his face thoughtfully then down to my hands.

"Um...they were both very hard-working people. My father was a commander for the Narnian army. Occasionally he would go over to Calormen to fight, other times it was up along the border of Narnia. The White Witch used to set up minotaurs and ghouls along the mountain ridge so that no one in Narnia would be able to leave and no outsiders would be able to enter. My father used to be the one who would get rid of those guards so that the troops could get into Archenland or vice versa. My mother, like I mentioned earlier, worked in the castle. She was a great servant, very obedient to Aslan. She was in an even higher rank than what Starstone is now; in charge of all the servants, guards, chefs, waitresses, everyone really. Most of the decorations you see were put in by her. She was very creative. She was the one who designed this room in fact. She intended it to be for servants and guards who needed a break. It didn't go to waste like some creatures thought it would. Everyone uses it. It's one of the most well-used rooms in the entire castle," I tell him proudly with a grim smile.

"Do you miss them?" he asks while lacing his hand with mine.

"Yes, I do, a lot. It's sort of hard to think that they're never going to see you succeed. They'll never see you graduate and then get married and have kids. It's hard trying to raise up your little sister all by yourself as well. Mother was looking so forward to seeing Bella and I grow up and have families of our own and now she'll never get to see that." My eyes blur over, the cloudy tears taking over my vision. A few stray tears manage to escape their confines and I can't help but let out a small sob. "I miss them so badly," I tell him, trying to hold back the threatening, water works. He rubs circles on my back for a few seconds before the flood gates open up. I weep while clinging onto Peter's shirt and bawling my eyes out. Peter holds me tightly with both arms wrapped securely around me. He starts to whisper sweet, comforting words into my ear. I have to admit it does make me feel better. Something breaks through my concentration though; the sound of two pairs of hooves. Then two things happen at once. Peter kisses the top of my head just as Starstone and Oreius come through the silver doorway. I freeze, dead still. I feel Peter tense up just before Starstone's voice comes in.

"Ashley Masen! How dare you!" she shouts at me while walking forward. I sink further into Peter trying to completely hide from her view. I can't handle the way her eyes are staring me down. I know she's going to fire me. I'm waiting for her to say the words, but they never come. Instead, I feel Peter let go of me and stand up.

"Starstone, please let me explain," he begs. She stops mid step.

"Okay then, go. Explain to Oreius and I why you're cuddling up to her like that," she snaps at him angrily. He stands up as straight as he can and looks at her, directly in the eyes.

"For one, I'm the High King and I expect some form of respect. Perhaps calling me King Peter or His Majesty would be better suited, or at least a bow. Secondly, to answer your question, I was walking past this room on my way to the Great Hall for my meeting when I heard crying. I looked inside and found Ashley curled up on the couch in tears. So I did what all good kings should do, I came in and gave her a hug to try and calm her down. It seemed to work. In fact I was just about to leave when you and Oreius came in," he answers her, lying smoothly. I wipe away my excess tears and smile at his back. I look at her with a raised eyebrow as she begins to shift a little bit from left to right before she looks down; a sign of submission.

"Very well. You're both excused. Ashley, go home, you're not needed here and...Your Majesty...you had better get to your meeting." We both nod and I watch as Peter very slowly waltzes to the door, holding his head high as he looks at her expectantly. She ignores him and instead focuses on me. Oreius bows his head though and I see Peter smile in recognition before he strides out of the room. I'm about to get up and leave when Starstone turns her attention to me.

"You better watch out, Ashley. As soon as I find any evidence that you're courting the High King, I will fire you; with no problem. The High King won't be able to convince me otherwise next time. Understand?" she threatens. I nod my head and quickly leave the room. I run down the front steps and quickly go outside the gates. I don't realise how late it already is until I look up and see the moon in the sky. I grin. Peter and I must have been chatting for quite a bit longer than what I originally thought. I enter the woods and start to walk cautiously through them until I hear a howl. I stop mid-step.

My nightmare starts flooding back into my mind, making me jump at every tiny, little noise. I breathe in deeply to relax myself before walking again. I decide to walk next to the river for safety. It's a bit of a longer route, but I feel better listening to the rush of water next to me. My body relaxes instantly. I eventually reach the cottage in one-piece. Thank Aslan! I open up the front door and come into the empty house, only it isn't as empty as I had expected. There's a candle on in the living room, much to my surprise and fright.

I put the key back under the mat on the front porch and close the door once I'm inside. I never take my eyes off of the well-lit candle. I walk cautiously into the living room, but what I see is not what I'm expecting. The living room's lit in a yellow glow, the fireplace is on and there's a beautiful smell wafting in from the kitchen. I glance at the dining table and notice that the flowers that I had gotten from Starstone and Oreius are gone, what's on there instead are three candles surrounded by blood-red roses sitting on a mysterious, white tablecloth.

There are also two plates with cutlery and what look to be two, diamond, wine glasses. I walk forward towards the oak table to see if there's a note or something to explain to me what's going on. Nothing. Just the beautifully set table. A loud crash followed by someone cussing coming from the direction of the kitchen is what pulls me out of my reverie. I quickly round the corner to the kitchen and am instantly shocked at what I see. My beautiful boyfriend is standing in the middle of the kitchen looking at the floor. I walk warily forward and stand behind him. There's glass scattered all over the floor. I step forward once more so that I'm right up behind him and place my hands ever so gently on his shoulders. He jumps and spins around quickly.

"Hi, what are you doing?" I ask suspiciously. He seems a little bit hesitant in answering.

"Making you some dinner, it was going fine until I accidentally knocked a glass bowl off the sink," he explains. I walk around him, trying to be careful with all the broken shards of glass before I look in the cupboard underneath the bench to see which one he accidentally broke. I relax a lot as I notice that my mother's priceless bowl is still there. I search through them all carefully. "Sorry," I hear Peter say from behind me. I stand up quickly and walk over to him. He looks really guilty. I give him a long hug.

"It's alright. Did the bowl have pink flowers on it?" I ask curiously. He nods. "Relax it was a cheap bowl I bought from the markets. Luckily it wasn't priceless." He smirks.

"You're right, that is lucky. I was sort of worried that it might have been your mothers," he explains. I smile and give his cheek a kiss before walking around him and picking up a dustpan and broom. "Don't you dare!" he commands. I decide not to argue with him, so I nod and sit down on the barstool so I can watch him work.

"Now that that is all sorted out, why don't you explain to me how you got in the house?" I suggest. He laughs.

"I used the mat key that you showed me a few nights ago," he tells me simply.

"I didn't show you where that key was though," I say. He just laughs off my comment. "Is there anything else that you want to comment on or tell me about?" I ask. He smirks.

"Your bedroom's nice, but very messy," he comments before turning around to put some pasta above the fire. My mouth drops open.

"When did you go in my bedroom?" I screech loudly. He seems a little bit taken aback by my screech. He spins around to face me, quickly.

"When I arrived I explored your house. It only seemed natural considering that you know my house back to front," he teases before giving me a sly wink.

"That is not funny, Peter Pevensie!" I exclaim. He laughs at my angry expression.

"Relax, I didn't touch anything. You act as if I've committed a murder, Ash, seriously," he complains. I grimace.

"Sorry. It's just my house at the moment isn't exactly what I would call clean. I haven't cleaned it for weeks," I tell him. He smiles at me.

"Really, because this place (besides your bedroom) is spotless, I almost feel guilty for using the kitchen," he comments.

"No it's not." He sends me a look before I watch him walk over to my bookshelf and very carefully wipe his finger across the very top shelf. "Just to prove my point," he says as he takes his finger off the shelf and shows me. There isn't one piece of dust on it. I laugh.

"Thanks for the compliment," I say. He smiles lovingly at me before getting back to the kitchen to cook dinner. I spin around on my chair again so that I can observe. I watch him as he picks up the metal pot full of pasta and puts it carefully on a wooden plank in front of me. He then goes over to the cooing station and pulls out a bottle of red wine. He puts that down next to the pot before smiling and getting out a large, glass bowl from below the counter. I recognising it at once. "Don't you dare drop that glass bowl!" I warn making him jump a little bit. I bite my lip. He puts it carefully down before shooting me a questioning glace. "That was my mother's. She got it on her wedding day, please be careful. It's a priceless antique." He nods understandingly and carefully puts the pasta in it.

"Come here," he says, grabbing my hand and dragging me effortlessly to the awaiting dining room table. He lets go of my hand swiftly and pulls out my chair. I sit down. I vaguely hear him walk away to the kitchen; I'm far too focused on the fact that he did all this for me. Me! It's decided, I am the luckiest girl in the world. Peter comes back into the room then with the expensive-looking bottle of red wine in his hands. He puts it down on the table in front of me, before sitting down opposite me. "Would you like some wine?" he asks while shooting me his famous, breath-taking smile. I sigh contentedly.

"Yes please," I reply. He grabs my glass carefully and fills it up before handing it back to me. "Thank you. Peter, I have a question."

"Yes," he encourages.

"Um, why are you doing this exactly?" I ask timidly. His expression changes from one of happiness to one of complete sadness in a matter of seconds. "I mean I'm flattered that you're making me dinner and everything, but I'm just curious as to the reason behind it," I add quickly. His breath-taking smile comes back instantly.

"You're flattered?" he notes, causing me to go a light shade of pink. He smiles lovingly and gently strokes my cheek. It feels so good. He pulls his hand away from my inflamed cheek and starts to speak. "To make up for almost getting you fired." I grin.

"You felt guilty?" I guess. He shakes his head.

"Not felt, feel. I feel guilty. It was all my fault that you got yelled at and I apologise." I feel like getting up from my seat and slapping him across his face. He thinks it's his fault that I got in trouble. He thinks it's his fault that I got yelled at.

"It's not your fault, Peter. It's mine, I was supposed to be working, but no I was spending time you instead. Once again I have disobeyed Aslan's orders," I tell him. I sigh loudly, angry with myself, and cross my arms on the table in front of me so I can lean my head on them. He reaches out and grabs one of my hands then, and starts to draw soothing circles on my palm with his thumb. I'm not complaining. It feels nice. I'm instantly calmed.

"Are you hungry?" he asks me suddenly. I shoot my head up. Yes I am. My stomach is aching because I am so hungry.

"Yes. I'm starving." My stomach decides to growl at that exact moment, causing me to giggle. Peter chuckles a little bit too, before getting up off his seat and walking into the kitchen. I lounge back into my chair with a sigh. He is so romantic! He comes back a few seconds later carrying the bowl with the pasta in it. I smile lovingly at him. He smiles back and puts it down on the table in front of me before he sits down opposite me again and grabs my plate. He starts putting some of the pasta on it and hands it back to me when the plate is full. "Thanks," I say quickly. I pick some up on my fork quickly and take a bite. I moan. "Peter, this is the best pasta I have ever eaten!" I exclaim. He beams brightly.

"Good, I'm glad you like it. It took me a while to make. I wasn't sure if you like pasta or not, so I was taking a crazy guess," he explains as I continue raking the delicious food into my mouth.

"Well, I love pasta, so now you know for next time." He smiles at my words and nods his head.

"I do," he replies. I smile back. We eat the rest of our dinner in silence. Occasionally one of us will ask a question or state a comment, but, besides that, it's dead quiet. I don't really mind though. It gives me time to think over everything that has happened today. It seems like the day didn't want to end. It just kept going on and on and on. Once we have finished eating, we clean up all the dirty dishes, and then walk into the living room hand in hand. Peter sits down on the floor in front of my open fireplace and pulls me gently down onto his lap. I smile acceptingly and lay back onto his chest. I sigh, closing my eyes. This is what I call paradise. "Ashley, how can you afford a house like this when you're only on a servant salary?" he asks me casually. I turn my head a little bit so that I can look into his eyes. They are full of interest. I smile bleakly.

"I can't," I tell him. He furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

"Then how are you still living here?" he inquires.

"My Great Grandfather built it from scratch so I don't have a mortgage on it," I explain simply. He grins and kisses my shoulder lovingly.

"Ashley..." he starts to say.

"Yes," I answer him, unsure of what he wants.

"You know I really like you, right?" he asks. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion as I move off his lap and sit opposite him instead.

"Yes, I do and you know that I really like you back," I answer. He smiles and looks into my eyes. The connection is there. When I look into his eyes all I see is a future with him.

"Yes, I do know." He hesitates for a moment.

"Peter, you can ask me anything; it's fine," I promise.

"There's something that I want to try. Bear with me, please?" he asks slowly. I nod. He hesitates again. I hear him take in a deep breath before he slowly moves towards me.


	9. First Kiss and Other Matters

I take in a very long shaky breath myself. His lips are inches from mine, I can feel his sweet smelling breath on my face as he breathes heavily too. Just a tiny bit closer...bang! My head whips around. That sounded an awful lot like my front door slamming. I bet it's Bella. I groan with frustration. Why me!

"Ashy!" I hear my irritating, little sister cry out as she runs into the room in – tears? She immediately jumps into my lap, almost knocking Peter out cold in the process; almost. Curse my annoying little sister! Send lightning bolts and thunder to teach her a lesson about interrupting her older sister while she's trying to receive her first kiss!

"Bella, what's wrong?" Her ceaseless crying is not usual. She's generally a very calm child. I stroke back her black hair as she cuddles innocently up to me. "Sorry!" I mouth over Bella's shoulder to a very perplexed looking Peter.

He mouths back "That's alright, Ash", but I can tell from his face that he's upset. I want to burst into tears and throw Bella off me so I can get my first kiss with the gorgeous King, but Bella is really upset and panicked over something. Her needs are a lot more important than my own at the moment. We wait. Wait for her to do something, say something. Her silence is eerie; almost like she's gone into a state of shock.

"Bella? Isabella what happened?" I ask urgently, my nerves kicking into gear. She finally looks up at me, her brown eyes flooded over with more tears. Her whole body starts to shake in my arms as ear piercing cries begin to fill the room. I hold her close to me, my body automatically shaking with the sudden stress. "Hush, Bella. Calm down, sweetie! What happened?" I repeat worriedly.

"A lady...burst into th – the...house...a – and she...tried to...grab...me and she...st – stole Mr. Snuggles," she cries out. Someone tried to kidnap Bella! My eyes grow wide and I glance over to Peter. He's instantly looking straight into my eyes. I know what he can see. Panic, worry, annoyance, but most of all...anger. Oh there's so much anger, not only in my eye's like I suspected though, oh no, Peter's eyes are filled with a roaring rage too. I'm not quite sure why though. I'm not sure if Bella's like a little sister to Peter or not. I don't know whether Peter feels a connection with her that makes him so angry to the fact that she was about to get kidnapped or whether it's the whole concept of someone trying to kidnap a five year old child. The grip that Bella all of a sudden has on my stomach is what brings me out of my thoughts. I look down at her and wipe away the fresh tears that have flown freely down her cheeks with the pad of my thumb.

"Don't worry, Bella; I'm never going to let this happen again – to either of you," Peter promises. Either though he's directing his speech to Bella, his full and utter attention is on me. His eyes lock with mine in an intense gaze, which is why I don't notice when he comes up beside me and puts an arm around my waist protectively. I look down when I notice Bella's wailing stop. Peter's hand is ever so lightly stroking her back. She seems to relax at his touch, something I have never seen her do before. I glance over to Peter and see that he's still looking at me. I blush a little bit as he runs his thumb along the contours of my face.

"I've never seen Bella relax at a strangers touch before," I tell him amazed. I look down to prove my point and notice that she's peacefully asleep. One glance at the moondial tells me all I need to know. It's one am. I look over at Peter. He doesn't seem too concerned with the time, much to my amazement. "I'm going to go upstairs and put Bella into her bed. I'll be right back," I tell him as I stand up. He stands up with me and goes to sit on the sofa. I smile and quickly carry Bella up the staircase and to her bedroom. I open up her door as quietly as I can and walk into her tidy bedroom. I pull back the sheets to her bed and gently, as not to rouse her, put her down on top of the white sheet. My hands reach for the doona before they drag it up over her, tucking her in securely. There we go. I kiss her forehead tenderly before I focus my attention at the door.

"Ashy!" I hear a very tired voice whisper, panic laced in with the softness. Stopping mid step, I turn back around to face her. Her eyes lock with mine and I find myself walking forward ever so slowly.

"Yes," I reply as I sit down on the side of her bed. She rubs her eyes and sits up, her head almost bashing against the headboard.

"I don't want you to leave me alone. I'm scared that lady is going to come and get me," she tells me as new tears start to form in her eyes. My heart clenches at the sight of my little sister scared and crying. Decisions, decisions...

"Bella, Peter is down stairs waiting for me –" I'm about to add something else on, but looking at her little face almost brings me to tears.

"No, I want you to stay up here," she cries out. I stroke her hair back soothingly.

"Bella, listen to me, the lady is not going to come and get you while the High King and I are down stairs, okay? We will never let anything happen to you," I promise her. She nods her little head before she yawns a huge yawn. "Get some sleep, Bells. I love you," I say before kissing her forehead and making her lay down. I put her soft toy, a teddy bear that my mother had made for her, next to her and stand up.

"I love you too," she says, falling unconscious with sleep before I'm even out the door. I close it halfway like I usually do and pretty much run down the steps and into the lounge room. I stop in front of the sofa and flop down next to Peter. He smiles as soon as he sees me.

"Sorry, I took a bit longer than I thought. Bella woke up," I explain. He nods his head.

"I understand. Little sisters can get like that. Is she okay?" he inquires while wrapping his arms around me in a protective stance. I sigh inwardly.

"Slightly. I think it's shaken her up which is a pretty normal response to almost being kidnapped." He nods once.

"Completely understandable. If something like that ever happened to Lucy..." The venom in his tone is undeniable. He is a very protective person. That trait has just become a lot more obvious.

"Maybe we should take our minds off of it..." Kiss me! Please!

"Well, there is still something I want to try you know," he suggests with a smirk. I smile and move my lips closer to his again.

"Ashy! I want a drink of water," I hear Bella call, before the pitter-patter of tiny feet comes down the staircase. I clench my teeth together in frustration as I reluctantly unwrap Peter's arms from around my body before standing up.

"I'll be back," I tell him through gritted teeth. Keep your calm. I walk quickly to the kitchen and snatch the light-weight glass from Bella's small hands. I hear her start to whimper, but at the moment I'm so extremely frustrated that, as nasty as it sounds, I don't care if she starts having a full on crying fit. I just simply want to go back to my boyfriend and have my first kiss without interruptions. I fill it up with water hastily, annoyed at how slow the water flow is going. Once it's three-quarters full, I stop the tap. My eyes lock with hers as I turn around, my bottom lip going between my teeth as I take in her sad face. Her eyes are filled to the brim with tears. She has a few escape artists that are now cascading down her cheeks and nose. I close my eyes so I can't look at her face.

"Here, Bella," I say softly while handing her her glass of water. I open my eyes and watch as she grabs it nastily from my outstretched hands. She has a frown on her face and looks up at me angrily. I want to cry. Can't I get my way tonight for once in my life! "Isabella, come here," I say while kneeling down so that I can look her in the eyes. She hesitates and then runs into my arms. I hug her close to me and kiss her hair, a bit like what my mother used to do to me. "I love you and I'm sorry. I was a bit harsh. I'm just frustrated, honey," I explain while pulling her away so that I can look at her directly in the eyes. "Can you forgive me?" I ask pleadingly. She nods her head.

"You're forgiven and I love you too," she says while she gets up out of my grasp. "Why are you frustrated?" she asks in true child style.

"Because you keep disturbing Peter and I. Tonight is really important to me, Isabella!" I explain. "Can you please stay in bed and go to sleep? Please, I'm begging you," I plead.

"Okay then," she says before kissing my cheek and quickly running out of the room. I glance up at the moon dial; it's two am. I'm worn out and tired, but there is no way I am going to sleep until I get my kiss. I walk out of the kitchen and sit back down in my previous position. Peter wraps his arms around me again. We don't say anything. We don't have too. We both know what each other's thoughts are. Peter leans down to me ever so slowly. My eyelids flutter closed. And then, finally, he presses his warm and extremely soft lips against mine. I am in paradise! One of my arms wound themselves up around his neck as my other hand knots itself in his luscious, brown hair, pulling him closer to me. I feel one of Peter's muscular arms wrap themselves around my waist as he deepens the kiss. I moan happily into his mouth. We pull away from each other after what feels like hours, panting and completely out-of-breath.

"That was..." Out of this world? Amazing? I can't find the words.

"Amazing, incredible, wonderful," Peter finishes for me. I laugh.

"Yes, all of those," I agree whole-heartedly. It goes quiet then, our foreheads pressed against each other while we enjoy the moment.

"I'm in love with you, Ashley." The amount of emotion behind his words honestly makes my heart melt.

"I'm in love with you too, Peter." He smiles brightly and gives me one, two, three more kisses before pulling away completely. I frown at the loss of contact until he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into him. I smile and lay my head unflinchingly on his chest. My arms find their way around his body and I sigh before yawning. Looking up at the moondial, it tells me that it's two-thirty. We have been kissing for at least half an hour. Now that I know what it's like to kiss Peter, make-out sessions in closets definitely aren't sounding too bad!

"I should go," he says grudgingly, before yawning himself.

"Sure," I agree, unwilling to let him go. You're going to be seeing him in a few hours don't forget. I smile happily at the quick thought. We both stand up together slowly and tiredly and together walk over to the front door. Peter turns to me and gives me a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll see you soon," I promise. He smiles.

"Okay, but please don't come and wake me up at four-thirty again," he pleads. I laugh.

"Peter, do you seriously think that I'm going to have a two hour sleep, just so that I can wake you up early and annoy you?" I ask. He raises an eyebrow.

"Knowing you, yes," he tells me while slipping on a brown coat that I had failed to notice earlier. I grin.

"You're probably right," I admit sheepishly. I hear him chuckle before he turns to me and gives me another kiss. He opens the front door and steps out onto the porch.

"I'll see you around eleven. Call me Sleeping Beauty, but I'm not getting up before then," he tells me. Sleeping Beauty? Am I supposed to know what that means? I giggle all the same though.

"Okay then Sleeping Beauty," I start. He rolls his eyes at me. "I'll see you at exactly eleven." I smile mischievously; well I hope it looks like that anyway. He laughs. "Peter, where's your horse?" I ask. I don't see it anywhere.

"In the stable with yours, oh, which reminds me; golly your horse is talkative. I don't know how you put up with her!" he exclaims. I chuckle.

"Believe me when I say, I know. She's quite the blabber mouth too. She will tell you anything and everything if you ask her nicely," I explain. We laugh together in perfect harmony this time. After we have finished Peter says goodbye...again...and then leaves silently into the night, or morning I should say. I close the front door after I have waved him goodbye and immediately go to bed. I quickly get dressed into my pyjama dress and fall onto my bed...literally! I close my eyes and instantly am dreaming about Peter all night long.

To say the next nine months are the best of my life would be a massive understatement. I am on cloud nine. Peter and I are always together and, even though we're in a secret relationship, he always ensures that we have a least one date every two weeks, if not more. I feel like I am really starting to get to know him. We talk about anything and everything and I honestly don't think I can live without him. He is my life now no matter what anyone else says about it. Keeping it from Starstone hasn't been an easy task though. She's been going out of her way to put us in situations where it would be easy to slip up and confess. Thankfully Peter and I are good at putting up fronts. She hasn't caught us yet, but we both know that this can't last forever; especially if we want to get married someday.

"Ashley," I hear a high pitched voice echo in my dream one night. It sounds sort of light and fluffy. I groan and roll over onto my stomach. "Ashley," the voice says again, a little bit less dream-like this time. I flip over onto my back quickly. "Ashley!" the voice yells into my ear. My eyelids instantly fly open and I nearly have a heart attack. Bella is inches away from my face, blocking out the streaming sunlight. "You know its eleven-thirty!" she exclaims loudly. Eleven-thirty! I instantly jump out of bed and run outside. I don't care that my hair isn't done, I don't care that I haven't eaten, I don't even care that I haven't brushed my teeth. I don't care about anything. At the moment, the only thing I'm concerned about is getting to the castle so that I can get to work. I do not want to be fired today.

I jump up onto Crystal and we quickly ride to the castle. I barely notice the eyes that are so obviously looking at me as I ride. The only thing I notice is the fact that Crystal hasn't said word at all this morning, which is highly unusual. I look down at her gentle, horsey face; she seems to be focusing on something other than her gallop. Her eyes are glazed over and full of...love? I instantly wonder whether Midnight (Peter's horse) has made the same impression on her as his owner does on me. I don't have much time to focus on the thought though.

As soon as we enter the city gates, all eyes are turned to me. Everyone is silent. If it isn't for all the creatures standing around the place, I would think it's a ghost town of some sort. I ignore all the curious eyes as we trot through the crowded streets. I shake my head as some little children point at me. I know I'm blushing like mad with all the embarrassing attention. Yes, I like attention, but not this much! We eventually make it to the royal stables though. I lead Crystal inside and notice instantly that we have walked pass her stable.

"Crystal, your stables over there," I whisper in her ear.

"I know," she says in a dream like tone. I look in front of us and have to hold in my laughter. Midnight stands in his stable and is so obviously Crystal's main attraction right now. I jump down off her, but I don't think she even notices; she's far too focused on Peter's, black, talking horse.

"Would you like me to put you in the stable next to him?" I ask. I know all the stables are pretty much connected. They have a wooden barrier that separates each one, but the wall is just low enough for the horses to see each other and talk over it. She nods and does a horsey neigh, which I guess is from excitement. I open up the gate and she's instantly inside. Midnight's head is already hanging over the barrier, talking to her.

"Bye, Crystal," I say whilst walking away. I don't think she even notices me. I don't stay in the stable to find out though; my mind is far too focused on work. I run quickly inside, passing Malina in the process. "Hey, Mal!" I greet as I pass her. I know she wants to stay and chat, but I do not have time. I run up the staircase and head straight to Peter's room. I have to see him before I get yelled at by Starstone; I know when that happens, my face will most likely be covered in tears. I don't want Peter to worry.

"Good morning, Ashley," Yerialds greets before Edmauel repeats it. They're both looking at me strangely. I guess they're both looking at my bed hair. I just smile in acknowledgement to them and quickly open the door. Peter's lying down on his bed reading a very interesting looking book. I watch him jump as the door closes loudly with a thump. His eyes go wide at me for a second and then refocus. He smiles.

"Good morning, beautiful," he says and pats the bed next to him. I run over to it, glad when I don't have to kick things out of the way to get to him and jump up onto the bed. I crawl over the dozens of pillows before I'm lounged down next to him.

"Good morning," I reply while leaning in and giving him a quick kiss on the lips. He smirks.

"I must say, Ashley, I love your new attire, although I'm not too sure if it's very appropriate to be walking around in, you know with little children around and all," he tells me honestly while wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me down on top of him. My head is now lying on his chest. I hope to Aslan that Starstone doesn't decide to suddenly pop in and say hello. I let the words that Peter says sink in before my eyes go wide.

"What do you mean new attire?" I ask. He looks down at me, confused.

"I mean the satin, blue dress you're wearing," he answers. I blush bright red before looking down. Sure enough my very short and low-cut, blue, pyjama dress is still on me.

"Whoops!" I say with a small smile. He raises an eyebrow at me, obviously waiting for an explanation. "Bella woke me up at half-past eleven telling me that I was late for work. I just got straight out of bed, jumped on Crystal, and came straight here," I explain in a rush. He looks sort of amused at my problem. I shoot him a glare.

"Of course you did." He pauses, his eyes looking me up and down. "Although I can certainly appreciate the look on you. It's very flattering." I giggle; my cheeks heating up with a sure blush.

"I'm sure you can, what man wouldn't?" I reply with a smirk. He chuckles, his hands resting on my waist.

"As much as I love it, I suggest you borrow a dress from Susan or find a spare servant uniform before Starstone sees you in that," he says with a knowing glance. "We wouldn't want you to get fired now would we?" He gives me a wink and I laugh.

"You're right – again. I'll see you soon," I tell him after giving him a kiss. I jump up off the bed and quickly run outside into the hallway. I'm not even half-way down it when the horrible sound of hooves echoes loudly throughout it. I freeze. There has to be somewhere to hide! She cannot see me dressed like this! I notice a suit of armour standing up along the side of the wall and quickly choose to hide behind it. By the time I reach it though it's too late. Her angry glare tells me that I'm in deep trouble.

"ASHLEY MASEN!" Starstone bellows angrily as soon as she comes up the stairs fully. I close my eyes in hope that this is all a dream – no such luck! I open my eyes to the same horrible, angry centaur. "We need to talk, now," she commands quietly. Her voice though is full of evident threat. I walk cautiously towards her. Every step I take seems to be louder than usual, or maybe it's just my heart-beat I can hear. I stop about a metre away. She looks me up and down in disgust. "What am I going to do with you?" she asks rhetorically. I shrug my shoulders, unsure. "Ashley, I'm going to give you one more chance. If you are late ever again you will be fired. If I find you in inappropriate short dresses," at this she gestures towards my nighty, "I will fire you. If I see you making any sort of contact with the High King I will fire you. Anything that you do wrong, I'll hear about it somehow and you will be fired instantly. Have I made myself clear?" she asks. I nod in fright. "Good! Now you know where the spare uniforms are, go and put one on," she commands. I nod one more time before running past her and down the marble steps.

Once I'm at the bottom, I walk silently over to the uniform closet. I open up the door and pull out one of the horrible uniforms in my size. Closing the door loudly, I stomp off to the staff bathroom to get changed. Once I'm in the security of a locked door, I strip off my pyjamas and throw on the dress. I swear they make these dresses specially to make servants feel poor.

I exit the bathroom and immediately sit down in a deserted corner. I let the tears overflow down my cheeks and nose as I let out small whimpers that resemble that of a mouse. I have been holding it in since Starstone started yelling at me and while I was getting dressed. I don't really want the company of anyone at the moment, with one exception. What I really want at the moment is a comforting hug from my boyfriend, but I know that will be far too dangerous to do, especially at this time of the day. I'm not sure how much time passes, although it feels like hours, before the crying calms down. I wipe my nose on the back of my arm just as I hear footsteps rounding the corner. I freeze, holding back a sob, while I wait. Three shadows appear on the ground in front of me then. I look up a little bit, startled, but relieved, to see Susan, Edmund, and Lucy towering high above me.

"Hello, Ashley, we thought we heard someone crying behind here. Are you okay?" Susan asks worriedly. I nod as a few more tears roll down my cheeks. I know my face is red and sticky at the moment. Lucy sits down next to me then and starts drawing circles on my back in comfort. I smile a very watery smile.

"I'm fine, just a little bit worried that I'm going to get fired," I explain. Susan sits on my other side then while Edmund sits down in front of me. I look down at my hands and pick at my fingernails.

"Why?" Edmund asks. I was expecting someone to ask that question eventually. I look up at his face and instantly notice how much he looks like his older brother. I decide quickly not to ponder on the thought and focus on the question instead.

"Um, because Starstone suspects that something is going on between Peter and I when Royalty/Servant relationships are forbidden. She's going to find out one day and I know when she dopes she won't hold back," I explain slowly. Edmund seems to be lost in thought for a moment; I don't really want to know what plan he's conjuring up in his weird mind.

"We won't let you get fired, Ashley. You're a hard worker. I don't even know why they would want to fire you," Lucy says. I shrug.

"Ashley!" I hear a voice shout out. Starstone, I would know her voice from anywhere. I get up from where I'm sitting and instantly thank Peter's siblings for checking on me. They all say not to bother and that I'm like a sister to them all so of course their going to check up on me.

"We have to attend a meeting now anyway so, if you want us for anything, we'll be in the Great Hall," Susan adds. I smile at them before quickly running off to look for Starstone. I see her standing over near the kitchen and hastily make my way over to her.

"Yes?" I ask. She smiles when she sees me.

"Ashley, do you mind cleaning the dirty dishes in the kitchen for me?" she asks smiling sweetly at me. Can I use the dress to clean them with?

"Yes, Starstone," I answer her. The first rule of being a servant is never to argue with your superior, even if they're acting oddly sweet and kind to you after such a rough morning. I rapidly rush into the kitchen and stop directly at the counter near the cooling station. I look around confused. There aren't any dirty dishes. I hear a chuckle behind me before I spin around and gasp. Starstone's standing at the doorway smirking. "Goodbye...forever," she says before slamming the door closed. I run as fast as I can over to the doorway, but, before I reach it, I hear the sound of a lock being turned and then nothing. I listen for a little bit until I hear something that no one in the world ever wants to hear.

The sound of running water.

I race over to the sink and notice that the tap has been taken off. Water's starting to spill over the side of the sink in bucket loads. I look around frantically for something to catch the water in. There's nothing! Everything in the kitchen has been taken out. A small part of my brain tries to figure out how Starstone managed to get everything out without people getting suspicious. I ignore that thought as soon as I feel my bare feet starting to get wet. I look down and notice an endless stream of water spreading around the empty kitchen and building up.

I look around frantically for an escape. The window! I spin around and run over to it as quickly as I can. I try to open it, but it's locked tight. I vaguely notice that my legs are starting to shake from the cold water. I look outside the window and instantly spy Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy sitting on their thrones, obviously listening to some creatures. I bash on the window a few times, trying to get the attention of someone down below. They all seem oblivious to me though. I bash a bit harder.

By the time one of the guards looks up at me, the freezing cold water is up to my waist. I wave my hands in the air above me, sort of like what you would do if you were stranded on a deserted island trying to get the attention of a nearby boat. The guard that has looked up, Woodnight, locks eyes with me then. Confusion is the only expression on his face. I signal down to the water and then point up trying to make sure that he understands that the water is rising up higher every second. He seems to understand after a few minutes, but by the time he actually understands what I'm trying to say, the water is just below my chest. I watch on as he quickly goes up to Peter and points up to me.

I look down at my boyfriend and for one brief moment we lock eyes, before he's running at top speed out of the throne room. I watch the scene unfold in the throne room after he has left. Everyone is frightened and running around like crazy. If I'm not so panicked about dying then the sight would be humorous. Why do I feel lighter suddenly? I look down at the water only to discover that my feet are no longer touching the floor. This is not good! I look up, the ceiling is getting closer to my head with every passing second. I'm terrified, not going to lie. I hear a rattling then coming from what sounds like the door. I can hear the bashing sound as someone tries breaking in; I assume it's Peter or one of the guards. I swim over to the entrance and knock on the door.

"Peter, can you hear me?" I shout.

"Yes." I can hear the panic in his voice. "Why can't I open the doors?" he asks, even more panicked now than he was a second ago.

"Because they're locked. Peter, I have to tell you something," I get out through breaths.

"What is it?" he asks worriedly. I take a deep breath in before shouting out those three words.

"I love you!" I don't care who's behind the door with him. I don't care if everyone in Narnia hears me. I don't even care if Starstone's going to fire me for it. I just need him to know.

"I love you too," he shouts back. I feel my eyes well up with tears as soon as the words are out of his mouth. He loves me. Of course I already know that, we tell each other everyday, but hearing him say it out loud with probably most of the castle there with him makes it all the more special. I have to tell him one more important thing.

"Peter, tell Bella that I lo –" I get cut off abruptly as the water rises up past my mouth. I know in an instant, I'm not going to see tomorrow, I'm never going to see my friends or Bella ever again.

"Ashley! Ashley, talk to me! Please! Say something, anything! I love you! PLEASE!" I can hear Peter's desperate plea's loudly as I sink beneath the surface of the water. I can hear his crying just as much as I can hear the pain and heart-break in his tone. I know in this moment that I'm never going to see him again. I'm never going to marry him nor have children with him, because right now, I know that I'm going to die.


	10. Alive

The stone hard ground meets my back as I let my final breath out, not being able to hold it in anymore. I hear Peter say the words 'I love you!' and then nothing. I know instantly that I'm dead; everything is pitch black, but at the same time it's not. It gets lighter and lighter before I open my eyes to a beautiful country. I feel lighter than a feather as I stand up gracefully and look around. Suddenly there's a great light before a huge lion stands in front of me.

"Aslan," I whisper. I'm suddenly very happy; I can't stop smiling. I run up to the Lion and tackle him to the ground in a bear hug. He laughs greatly and deeply; his entire body filling with the vibrations of it. I sit up quickly and bury my hand into his mane.

"Dear One, welcome to my country," he greets. I look around me at the beautiful, rolling hills and spot a sparkling, bright-blue sea on the far east side. The grass is the brightest green you can imagine; it's the same with all the colourful flowers and trees. Something about it all feels oddly familiar though.

"Aslan, why does this feel so much like Narnia again?" I ask in amazement. He smiles at me.

"Because it is Narnia," he answers proudly. I smile so brightly that if the smile would've been any wider my face would've started to hurt. "But this is my Narnia; my country. If you think of somewhere you want to be, you will be there instantly," he explains to me. "Nothing bad happens here. There is no sadness or hatred, nothing bad. Only good things are here." I nod my head. "So enjoy! This is where you're going to be for the rest of your life; for eternity," he tells me before he disappears. I try to remember all the important places in Narnia as I glance over to the Eastern Ocean. My eyes lock on a shining thing that is sitting on the edge of the cliff face. Cair Paravel! I beam brightly before my smile falters slightly, sudden sadness comes over me. Either though Aslan said that there are no bad things here, the aching hole in my chest is starting to twinge. I miss Peter. I instantly think back to our first date and the beautiful hill top. I look up from the ground and suddenly realise that I'm there. My shoulders slouch over in defeat when I discover that Peter isn't here to enjoy it with me.

"Ashley." I jump a little bit at my name being called but spin around anyway, expecting to see Aslan. Who I see instead though makes my still smiling face light up even more.

"FATHER! MOTHER!" I exclaim, running straight into my parents waiting arms. If I could cry in this country, I would be bawling my eyes out. As soon as I reach them, I'm in their tight embrace. My face is buried under my father's chin as my mother stands by my side, drawing reassuring patterns on my back. I feel my father kiss my head as I pull out of his embrace to hug my mother.

"Oh, Ashley! I love you," my mother says sweetly into my ear. I feel father join in on our hug.

"Honey, you mean we love her, right?" my father whispers into her ear making her giggle. I sigh happily at hearing my father's voice and move away from their hug. I look at my mother and father and instantly feel sad; not that my face shows any sign of my sadness, but inside I'm hurting. My mother and father look so happy together with their arms wrapped around each other and I feel extremely envious of their happy marriage. I want it so badly.

"Ashley." I turn around on my heels at the sound of Aslan calling me. "I'm giving you a choice, you can either stay here with your parents and I or you can go back to Bella and Peter." I suddenly feel very sad and, before I know it, tears are falling down my face. I can feel the emotion on this hill and I instantly know that it's so that I can assess my feelings. I turn around again and notice that my mother is bawling her eyes out. I feel my heart rip in two. My parents or my boyfriend and sister. I instantly know the answer to that. I turn back slowly to Aslan.

"Aslan, I want to go back. I can come back here again when I die, but I won't have another chance to see Peter and Bella again. I miss Peter so much. I need him; he's a necessity. And sweet, innocent, little Bella, well I couldn't leave her there to suffer all by herself," I explain through watery eyes. I see him nod.

"Very well, Ashley, say goodbye to your parents and then I'll send you back to Narnia," he tells me. I close my eyes and spin around again to face my parents. As soon as I open my eyes, I start to cry. I have lived three years without them so far and now I just get them back only to lose them again. I can't help myself; I run over to them and immediately start to hug them. They hug me back and, for the first time in ages, we're a family again. After what feels like hours, I reluctantly let them go. I give them both a kiss on the cheek and then twirl back to Aslan. "I'll see you soon, but not too soon," he promises. I smile and wave to my parents who are now standing beside him. They wave back and then it's black again. I vaguely hear the sound of people talking around me as my senses open up a bit. I feel a shaky hand on my forehead and instantly know who it is. I open my eyes slowly and hesitantly. As soon as they're fully open, I'm immediately hugged by Bella.

"Ashy, I was so scared. I thought you died and that I was never going to see you again," she cries. I hug her tightly to my chest and kiss the top of her head.

"Well I'm back." I feel tears roll down my face as my little sister weeps as quietly as she can. She moves off me after a while, her face red and wet with tears. Alright, Ashley, time to lighten the mood. "Bella, guess what? I saw mother and father!" I exclaim. She gasps; her crying stopping instantaneously.

"Really?" she asks excitedly. I nod in reply to her before she beams brightly at me. "What are they like?" she asks. I laugh at my determined little sister.

"I'll tell you later at home," I promise her. She smiles.

"But we are at home." I chuckle slightly. As soon as I opened my eyes I knew where I was; the wooden, barky ceilings are a very good indication.

"I mean tonight when you go to bed." She sighs but smiles.

"Okay then; as long as I get to hear about them." She gets off of me before I'm eagerly pulled into someone else's arms. I know these arms immediately; it's hard not to recognise them.

"Hi, Peter." I feel my lips curve into a smile as he looks at me for the first time. His eyes are red and puffy and his face holds the biggest grin known to man.

"I can't believe you're really here. We all felt certain you wouldn't come back to us. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that we could still feel your pulse every few minutes, you probably would've been buried sixty days ago," he tells me.

"Well let's all be thankful that that didn't happen then," I reply with a laugh. Mind you, it's a very scary thought knowing that I could've been buried and then brought back to life in a coffin. Thank you, Aslan, for not letting that happen to me!

"I think we're all thankful for that already. It's been a scary two months," he adds on with a slight grimace. I nod before picking up on his words. Sixty days? Two months?! I sit up extremely quickly, causing my head to spin around in circles. Ouch! Note to self, after lying down for a long time, don't get up too quickly. "It's alright, Ash, settle down. It's okay," Peter murmurs as he lays me back down gently.

"I've been dead for two months!" He nods as he pushes some loose strands of hair behind my ear. "It felt like only a few minutes to me. I guess there is no time in Aslan's country." He smiles at me.

"You're right; time probably doesn't exist in Aslan's country. It's alright though. Just relax; you need to rest." My stomach decides that it doesn't want to rest though, so it presently grumbles causing Bella and Peter to laugh. "Okay, food first, then you can rest. I should probably tell you before anything else though that you've officially been fired by Starstone. Oreius told me to tell you in case you woke up from your very long sleep of death," he adds on with a grimace.

"You didn't even try to back me up?" I ask him, sort of offended that he even allowed her to fire me in the first place. He sighs.

"Ashley, honestly, it's safer for you this way. I would've backed you up if Starstone still liked you, but, according to some witnesses, she was the last person seen with you which means that she did this to you. So for that reason, and that reason alone, I allowed it. Do you understand that I'm just trying to protect you, Sweetheart? It's not important right now anyway; you need to get some rest. I know you're tired. Just relax. What would you like for dinner?" I gape openly at him. He expects me to forget about it? Thirteen years of working as a servant in the castle and he expects me to just throw it down the drain. Just because I've been technically dead for two months doesn't mean that it's not important to me. I narrow my eyes.

"That job was my life, Peter! What am I going to do now? I can't afford to keep this place and now Bella and I are going to starve on the streets." He rolls his eyes at me.

"You're being over dramatic and you're becoming stressed out. I need you to relax so that you can gain back your strength. Now, what would you like for dinner?" he asks me again as he strokes back my hair. I hum in approval before I sigh, giving up. Right now, I don't have the energy to fight with him. Oh right, the question.

"Hmm...food would be nice." He shakes his head at my bad joke before looking expectantly at me. No words need to be said, I know he expects me to answer him. "Alright, how about you cook us some venison and salad? I'm starving! Apparently being dead for two months really works up an appetite." He laughs loudly for what I'm sure is the first time in months.

"You have no idea. Just stay here, nourish yourself in the warmth of the fire, and relax. I need to talk to you about something after dinner. Dinner might take a little while to cook though, so if you'd like you may have a sleep." I instantly shake my head.

"I don't want to sleep. Sleep means darkness and nightmares." He furrows his eyebrows.

"Nightmares?"

"Yes, nightmares! Or one nightmare to be exact."

"Can you tell me what happens in it while I make us dinner?" I nod and watch as he stands and walks over to the kitchen. I can't see what he's doing, I can only hear the sound of plates cluttering and cutlery getting tossed around. I close my eyes for a second, trying to go deep into my subconscious so I can try and remember my nightmare. It comes to me after a second and I instantly open my eyes.

"Well it usually starts off in the forest. It's night time and there's a low mist that hovers over the ground. The trees are all smothered in darkness and there's usually a crisp wind blowing through the air. I'm usually running at top speed through the forest, jumping over dead tree logs and avoiding puddles. There's also usually a wolf like creature chasing me. It's usually got blood-stained fur and teeth and is snarling at me. From there on though, I've had a few different outcomes. Once I had my own armour and was able to defend myself. Another time I ended up tripping over and waking up just as the creature goes down to eat me. It terrifies me and I hate having to walk to the castle at five-thirty in the morning after I've had the nightmare," I say.

"Do you think it's a sort of vision or something?" I shrug.

"Possibly; I haven't really thought about it that way though." I hear him stop what he's doing before he sighs.

"Well let's hope it's not." Everything goes quiet after that. The smell of venison assaults my senses almost immediately as I feel myself starting to drowse off. A warm hand shakes me awake after a little while whilst a cold plate gets put on my legs. I groan and unwillingly wake up. "Dinner is served." I smile slightly at my boyfriend as I sit up slowly. I eat the venison and salad in silence as I watch curiously on as Peter interacts with Bella. From what I can see, he's very good with children. He looks as if he'll make a good father in the future. She's giggling and running around while he chases after her. She suddenly disappears under the table as their chasing game switches unexpectedly to hide and seek. I laugh at Peter's surprised expression as he looks around confused. "Um, Bella? Are we playing hide and seek now?" She giggles.

"Yes! Come and find me." He looks over to me with a smile before saying,

"I think we should finish up our games now. I need to talk to your sister." I can almost hear the pout in her voice as she whines.

"But I want to play." I roll me eyes and gesture for him to come over to me.

"She'll come out eventually. Now, what is it that you want to talk to me about?" He hesitates for a second before answering me.

"I know you're worried about money and where you're going to live now and how you're going to feed yourselves, so I was thinking...do you remember, before the whole incident with Starstone, how I said that you and Bella could move in with me if you got fired?" I nod.

"Yes."

"Well I would really like it if you did; move in with me that is." My eyes grow wide as I take a sharp breath in. He wants me to move into the castle with him? A slight smile starts to form on my face as it sinks in fully.

"Um...okay then. Bella and I will move into the castle with you," I reply, trying, but failing, to keep the excitement out of my voice.

"Great! I'll let the servants and guards know when I go home later so that they can start getting your rooms ready. I'll help you pack if you like since you won't need a lot of stuff. You'll get a brand new closet full of clothes and new furniture and new jewellery and pretty much everything that you need to survive. We'll wait a few days to ensure that you're back to your full self again and then I'll help you move in. Say Monday?" I nod excitedly.

"That sounds great, Peter. Thank you." He smirks at me.

"You're welcome."

"Are we really going to move into the castle, Ashley?" Bella asks me excitedly as she runs out from underneath the table and pounces onto my lap. Obviously she heard our whole conversation. I nod.

"Yes we are. So you need to learn to behave and listen." She frowns at me.

"I do listen and I'm always on my best behaviour," she whines quietly.

"You and I both know that that is not true." The beginning of a smile starts to form on her face as she giggles quietly.

"Most of the time it is." We all laugh at this before Peter glances up to the moondial. He grimaces.

"I'm sorry, Ashley, but I really need to go now. I have a meeting with the court early tomorrow morning and I need a good night's sleep. I've been sleeping awfully for the past few months." I frown but nod.

"Okay. When will I see you next?" I ask him. He kneels down next to the couch and strokes some of the hair away from my face.

"I'll try and come by tomorrow. You need to promise me though that you'll rest. I won't let you move in with me until you've gained back all your strength and only rest will do that."

"Alright then."

"Would you like to move onto your bed?" I shake my head.

"No, I'm fine here thanks. The couch is pretty comfortable."

"Okay. I love you." I grin brightly at him.

"I love you too."

The next few days pass by extremely slowly. By Saturday I've gained most of my original strength back and am able to walk around freely without falling over. Peter also dropped by to check on me and regretfully told me that he has to pull out with helping me on Monday due to a scheduled school visit that has popped up at ten am. He did mention though that he might try to get here before his visit to take away some of the boxes for me to which I am thankful. By Sunday, I have all my bags packed and boxes ready to go, now all there is to do is wait. It's seven thirty and Bella and I have just finished eating dinner. She gives me a kiss goodnight before she waddles upstairs tiredly. I smile after her before washing up the dishes and starting the fire. The temperature at night has dropped significantly since my death so the main thing I do every night is start the fire. I grab a random book then before reading for a few hours. I find myself asleep pretty soon, dreaming about the day to come.


	11. Moving

"Ouch!" I yelp as I sit up a bit too quickly the next morning. My back is killing me, probably from sleeping on the floor all night long. I re-position myself so that I'm in a more comfortable position. I wonder what time it is. I glance up at the sundial curiously. Eleven am; are you serious! I jump up quickly, not caring about the jabbing pain that shoots like a fox through my entire body. I rush to my bedroom and quickly throw on a yellow dress with a white waistband before I hurriedly put on my white shoes and rush upstairs to Bella. "Good morning, sweetie," I greet as I bash through the doorway and grab the bags that she has prepared. I look around the room, checking every nook and cranny. Everything is gone. Good. I quickly rush down stairs, trying to be gentle with the bags in case there are breakables. I hear the sound of someone talking outside and guess instantly that it must be one of the guards outside already. I tear the front door open and see that there are two centaur guards. Both of them have saddles slung across their backs with ropes hanging off. I guess that it's for them to hang bags off. "Good morning, Edmauel," I address. He nods in response. I hand him Bella's bags and quickly run inside to get my ones. Once I come back out, I hand them over to Yerialds. He smiles at me and ties them up to the saddle.

"Is there anything else, Ashley?" Edmauel asks. I walk inside curiously. Everything is gone already. I guess that Peter must've used the key from the mat again to come in and get everything this morning before his school visit. I walk back outside and shake my head.

"Nope, you two can go now," I tell them. They nod and run off into the beautiful, sunshine-filled forest. I look around aimlessly, enjoying the view for the last time. The Great River is a sparkling blue. The water must be freezing. Even though it's eleven am, there's still a smoky mist that hovers over the grassy floor. I walk inside slowly, drinking in the old cottage.

"Ashy, are we going?" Bella asks urgently. I look around the empty, wooden, living space and then back to her.

"Yes, I'll meet you out at the stable, okay?" She nods her head and runs out the front door. I walk into the lounge room slowly and look at the old fireplace, my eyes clouding over with tears. This cottage has a lot of sentimental value to me. It's been in my family for generations so to see it without all my little knick-knacks everywhere is a shock. I walk leisurely into the kitchen and let the tears fall down my face in rapid gushes. It's sad to leave this place. I walk back to the front door and take one last glance before closing the front door. I walk slowly towards the stable while drinking in my mother's favourite garden. It seems sad to just leave it here. I stroll over to Crystal and lift Bella up so that she can get onto her back. I wrap my arms around Bella in a protective posture before I take a deep breath in.

"Come on, Crystal. We're moving into Cair Paravel today," I tell her flatly. I'm having a difficult time deciding whether I should be sad or extremely excited for this move. Her ears suddenly perk up like mountains, causing Bella to giggle.

"I'm going to be living in the same stable as Midnight!" Crystal exclaims excitedly.

"Yes, you are," I promise her softly. She trots out of the stable at once. We stop just outside the front of the cottage for one last glance. The sunlight's hitting the old stones in just the right way causing the cottage to take on a reddish-brown colour. The bright-green, rose vines that climb up along the walls and surround the windows are all in full bloom. The red roses stand out brightly against the dark stone. I feel tears running down my cheekbones again.

"Ashy, why are you crying?" the inquisitive child in front of me questions. I look down at her.

"This house is really special to me. Our Great Grandfather built it from scratch, so there are a lot of memories in there," I explain, choking on tears. Bella looks down at Crystal.

"Oh, okay then," she says.

"Alright, Crystal, time to go," I tell her. She doesn't hold back; as soon as the words are out of my mouth we shoot off into the forest. We reach the gates a lot faster than I thought possible and instantly go to the staff line. I get my identification card out of my bag and hold it up to the guard.

"Sorry, Ashley, but no can do. We cannot let you in by the pass anymore," Samberg says shaking his head. I frown.

"Why not? And it better be a good explanation!" I whine upset. The two guards at the gate look at each other and then back to me.

"You got fired, Ashley. That pass does not count for you anymore," he explains. I groan loudly and we join the back of the public line. Goodness, how long is this line going to take? I eventually make it back up to the golden gates again.

"Hi, let me in," I demand immediately as soon as Sellinea is in view. The faun looks at me and then back to her notepad.

"Sure, how long are you going to be visiting for?" she asks with a friendly smile. I thought Peter was going to tell everyone about my arrival?

"We're moving in to the castle. I don't seriously have to –"

"How long are you planning on staying?" she asks again, cutting me off mid-sentence. I sigh.

"Forever." She just stares blankly at me with her smile and blinks a few times. I sigh. "All day," I answer her rather unenthusiastically. She smiles kindly at me and looks down again.

"That will be two silver crescents please," she says, holding out her hand. Since when do we need to pay to enter the town? I pull out my bag again and open it up. Great, I have no money.

"Ugh...never mind," I say while backing Crystal up and making her walk away. Great! What do I do now? We ride away from the queue of creatures and along the outskirts of the castle to another entry. That's weird, I don't remember this entrance.

"Ashley! Bella!" I smile wickedly. My rescue has finally arrived out of the darkest place. I look to my left and sure enough little, tiny Lucy comes running up to Crystal. I grin down at her and jump off my white horses back.

"Ouch! Gentle, Ashley! You just kicked me in the stomach!" Crystal whines. I ignore her.

"Good morning, Queen Lucy," I say while curtseying before giving her a little hug. She giggles her little high pitched sound.

"Are you really moving into the castle today? I mean I did see the guards with boxes and stuff, but I wasn't sure if it was yours or not," she asks enthusiastically. I chuckle. Oh my goodness she is so adorable! Peter is so lucky to have a little sister like her.

"Yes, we are moving in today," I start. Her eyes widen and a huge, happy smile stretches from ear to ear on her tiny face. I grin down at her.

"We? What do you mean? Who else is moving in?" she inquires excitedly. I furrow my eyebrows.

"Haven't you met my little sister?" Lucy shakes her head. Oh!

"I thought you had. Well in that case, Lucy this is Bella, my little sister. Bella, this is Queen Lucy, Peter's little sister," I say as I gesture between the two of them.

"It's nice to meet you, Queen Lucy," Bella says as I help her off the horse. She then curtseys, rather clumsily I must say, before smiling happily.

"It's nice to meet you too, Bella. Does this mean I have someone to play with now?" Lucy asks excitedly. I smile in response.

"It sure does!" She jumps up and down as she claps her hands and squeals excitedly.

"This is going to be great! You're going to be like a big sister and I'll also have a little sister and, even better, you will be when my big sister when you marry Peter in a few years. Oh, this is going to be so much fun," she yells excitedly. I raise an eyebrow at the last bit. They think Peter and I are going to get married in a few years? Right, they've lost it! I hear another deeper voice join in on the squealing. I turn around only to notice Edmund jumping up and down like a little girl. He runs over to Lucy and they start chatting away excitedly like two teenage girls. I stifle a giggle. This is so funny! Well, I guess I will have something to talk to Peter about later. I suddenly remember why I need Lucy and put on my sweetest face.

"Queen Lucy, do you think you can get me inside the castle? You see I don't have any money and the guards aren't letting me in by the front gate," I ask her. She smiles at me brightly.

"Sure, Ashley, come on, Ed," she agrees. Bella latches onto my leg nervously then and I stroke some of her hair back.

"Can you pwease pick me up?" she asks as she begins to suck on her thumb. I smile down at her and gently lift her up under her armpits until she's sitting on my waist. She then nestles her face into my neck and hair in shyness before little, impatient Lucy grabs my hand and drags me along, with Edmund not far behind. She will do anything for anyone if you ask her nicely which pretty much just makes her that much more adorable. "Hi, Oreius, aren't you supposed to be with Peter?" Lucy asks, tilting her head. He bows to her then smiles.

"The High King is right over there. He told me to watch the gate for when Ashley arrives," he explains while pointing over to the gorgeous King who's talking to a dwarf.

"Hang on, so you're telling me that I just went through all that trouble for nothing?" I ask through gritted teeth. Oreius smiles.

"Pretty much, but don't you want to go and see the High King?" he asks, effectively distracting me from my sudden irritation towards him. I smile and push my way around Lucy and through the huge golden gate. This must be a King and Queen entry. The street is so quiet compared to the main entrance. I hand Bella over to Oreius and run silently up to Peter and throw my arms around his neck.

"Good Morning, handsome," I say. He unwraps my arms from his neck instantaneously. Okay then. I stand next to him instead.

"So let me get this straight, you want a set of silver armour, a shield, a sword, and a war horse. Is that right, Your Majesty?" I hear the dwarf ask. Why would Peter need armour when he's already got a perfectly good set?

"Yes, that's right. Thank you, Woggle," Peter says whilst giving the ugly and short dwarf a breath-taking smile. I sigh as soon as he does, which awards me with comical stares from both Woggle and Peter. Goodness, can't a girl sigh over her boyfriend any more without people looking. I mean seriously.

"Pleasure doing business with you, King Peter," Woggle says, bringing me out of my daydream, before bowing to Peter and walking away. Peter faces me then, smiling.

"Good morning, beautiful," he greets slowly whilst giving me a quick peck on the lips. I'm in heaven again. "I'm glad to see that you're able to walk around again instead of lying down on a couch trying to feel your legs," he says before giving a small chuckle. I narrow my eyes at him, which just simply makes him laugh even harder. "You are not threatening in any way, shape, or form," he states in between laughs. I sigh.

"Do you realize how many times I have been told that?" I ask, raising my left eyebrow. He chuckles again.

"No, but I honestly don't want to know. Why don't I show you where your new bedroom is instead?" He grabs my hand and pulls me through the empty street then.

"I guess I don't really have a choice do I?" I ask as I get pulled up to the back entrance of the castle. He smiles at me right before Bella gets put back in my arms. I send a smile to Oreius and then turn my attention back to Peter.

"No, not really." He leads me through the throne room and then up the main, marble staircase until we reach the same hallway that his sleeping chamber is on. Somehow, I never noticed that there's a door opposite his bedroom. He opens a piece of wall that has a handle on it and leads me inside to an enormous bedroom. I gasp. It's huge! It has an old, stone fireplace on the south wall with a huge, king-sized bed on the west side. The east wall has huge sparkling windows in it with a balcony overlooking the ocean and tiny bit of the forest. There's a giant painting of Aslan above the fireplace and a door next to the huge bed. It obviously leads to the closet. "So do you like it?" he asks, scratching his head. Do I like it? What type of question is that? Who wouldn't like it? I look up at his face and giggle. He has worry lines planted firmly on his forehead.

"Peter, it's gorgeous. I absolutely love it," I assure him. He smiles down at me.

"Well, I'm glad you like it. It took the servants quite a long time to set up, but they've been practically squealing non-stop for five days now, so I don't think they minded," he admits shyly. I grab his hand and pull him over to the balcony.

"Tell me honestly; which girl would not like this?" I exclaim while letting go of his hand and spreading my arm out towards the beautiful view. He grins.

"You're right. Every girl would die to be you right now, beautiful," he says as he leans casually on the railing and looks at me.

"Thanks, but I don't deserve your flattery," I say while walking back out into the main hallway.

"Where's my bedroom?" Bella suddenly demands as she tugs on a strand of my brown hair. I blush at the thought of almost forgetting about Bella. Whoops!

"Peter," I start to say.

"Right this way," he cuts me off. He leads us to the end of the hallway and opens another hidden door. Inside is the most girly room in the world. Everything in the room is either bright pink, bright purple, or yellow. The bed is a queen-sized bed and has a very girly doona on it. The shelves are covered in toys and dolls and have pretty, pink lace hanging off them. It's perfect for Bella.

"Awesome!" Bella exclaims. I put her down quickly absolutely intrigued at how quickly she starts to play. I watch for a few minutes as Bella grabs some dolls and starts playing tea parties with them. She looks up at us then and smacks her forehead. "Goodness, where are my manners? Do you two want to play too?" she asks. I have to laugh. Bella's always been very precise about manners.

"Um, no thanks, Bella. Peter and I are just going to have a look around and talk for a bit, okay," I tell her. She nods her head and continues playing with her dollies. I click my tongue before turning around and exiting her bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Peter asks me curiously as I start to wander by myself down the hallway. I smirk and look over my shoulder.

"To go and find my friends so that I can let them know that I have officially moved into this beautiful castle," I enlighten him before turning back around. I hear a sigh from behind me then footsteps leaving in the opposite direction. As soon as I round the corner I run down stairs to the lounging area. I know all my friends will be in there, most likely waiting for me to arrive so that we can all sit there and chat about random things for hours on end, as usual. I run down the staircase and barge into the door to the lounging area. "Good morning, lovely ladies!" I greet as I walk up to the sofas that they're all sitting on. Well, most of them anyway. "What are you all doing?" I ask while sitting on one of the opposite white sofas.

"We were waiting for you," Malina says simply. I smile. So predictable.

"Well, we've been waiting for you to move in anyway. We weren't sure whether we were going to see you at all today honestly," Kabella says. I grimace.

"Well that was a very silly thought for all of you to have. You know I love you all to bits!" I exclaim. They all nod.

"We know. We're all just so glad that you're alive and walking without wobbling around like a crazy loon," Henrietté tells me. We all laugh in unison.

"Thanks for coming down on Friday. I really appreciated it; especially when I noticed that you brought food also."

"That's alright, Ash. We figured you'd be tired and still trying to get used to being back in Narnia again. As soon as the High King mentioned the fact that you were alive again, we had organised everything," Malina explains.

"Well thank you. You lot are the best friends any girl could ever ask for."

"Aww. Well, can I just say that you have the most adorable boyfriend in the world? He brought us all up drinks while we were setting up your room saying that he appreciated us doing it and that he felt bad that we were spending all our time setting up a bedroom instead of doing what we were supposed to be doing. It was gorgeous of him to do and we could see that he was being genuine too," Emolise tells me. They all smile at the memory.

"Ashley? Have you kissed the High King yet?" Kabella suddenly inquires. All eyes are instantly on me. I blush.

"You girls were all right; he is a brilliant kisser." They all squeal loudly at this, making me laugh.

"Girls, what's all the screami –" Starstone starts to say while walking into the room. She stops as soon as she sees me, her eyes wide with fear. "As – Ashl – Ashley," she stutters out in shock.

"Hello, Starstone. Surprised to see me? Well, Aslan let me come back. Sorry to disappoint you and ruin your little scheme." She stands there shocked for a long moment before she narrows her eyes at me.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard then that you're fired, Ashley, which means that you're not allowed in this room, let alone this castle. This is for working staff only. Get out now!" she commands me angrily. Aslan? Could I please give her a good bashing? She's so annoying!

"I'm sorry, Starstone. Didn't you hear though?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. She narrows her eyes at me and taps her fingers on her arms impatiently. She looks frightening!

"Hear what?" she asks angrily. I smirk.

"That I've moved into the castle. My bedroom's opposite Peter's. I thought my hot, drop-dead gorgeous, sexy boyfriend would've told you that last night," I say smugly. I had to push it in. If she wants to be mean to me then fine, I'll just make her regret ever asking me anything. The corner of her mouth twitches the tiniest bit.

"You're moving in," she states simply through clenched teeth. Right, push it in further.

"I have moved in," I correct while smirking. She clenches her teeth together in anger. "I'm sorry to leave Starstone, but I promised to meet up with King Peter for lunch. So I'll see you later," I say while exiting. Good girl, now finish it up! I smirk again. "Oh and, Starstone? Could I please have some spiced wine and fresh fruit brought up to my sleeping quarters in about three hours. Oh, and if you forget, I will tell Peter," I say, smirking, leaving Starstone behind absolutely fuming.

"GET TO WORK, NOW!" she shouts to all my friends. I hear the stampede at once and suddenly see a lot of scared looking girls beside me.

"Sorry," I apologise sympathetically. They all nod in reply and split off into different directions. I feel so guilty now! I look precariously up to Starstone and quickly go up the stairs to look at my new closet in my new bedroom. There's no way I'm in the mood for a fight with Starstone right now.

I walk up to my original bedroom and pull open the closet door. I'm sort of curious to see the type of clothes I have. As soon as the door is open, I saunter into the humongous walk-in-closet. My jaw drops to the ground instantly. It's full of the most gorgeous dresses in the entire universe. Sky blue, autumn red, spring green, and winter white are just some of the amazing colours that surround me. It's obvious that Dryads made these clothes for me; it would've taken months for anyone else to make dresses like these, not just five days.

I go up to a light yellow and white one that caught my eye the moment I stepped foot into the closet. I feel the material curiously. It's made of real silk and satin. I pull it out and try it on quickly. As soon as I have it on, I look into the large mirror that stands at the end of the closet. It looks beautiful. The dress is really light-weight and stops at my ankles. The yellow is a metallic colour and matches perfectly with the metallic white sleeves. I look at myself one more time before spinning around to look at my other yellow dress. I may as well keep it on for the rest of the day, what's the point in getting dressed again? I grab my flat white shoes and throw them on, before going back downstairs and walking swiftly to the huge kitchen. I enter through the double doors and walk over to a fruit basket.

Just as I'm about to take my first bite of the bright red apple in my hand, I hear the sound of hooves behind me. "GET OUT NOW!" I suddenly hear an angry voice bellow at me. I turn slowly around only to see Starstone towering high above me.

"Why should I?" I ask smugly. She glares widely at me with fire filled eyes. I smirk. How can I make her really angry I wonder?

"Because you are not allowed in the kitchen. It's out of bounds for people like you, Ashley. You don't work here anymore remember?" she exclaims irritably at me. I have to contain laughter. Oh my goodness! Her facial expression is hilarious! I should make her irritable more often! She glowers furiously at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I totally forgot that I was fired. That reminds me, did I mention that I'm pregnant," I exclaim holding back threatening laughter. Her eyes grow wide and she looks down at my stomach then back up at my face.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" she shouts angrily at my face. The entire kitchen goes silent instantly and I can feel lots of eyes burning into every side of my body. I can't contain the laughter anymore. I fall to the ground and roll on the floor in amusement. That definitely pushed all the buttons. I'm starting to get a huge stitch on my side from laughing so much. She breathes deeply subsequently, trying to hold in the wrath that I can see is starting to form in her entire body. I stop and stand up quickly and put on a straight face.

"Nice chat, Starstone. We should do it again sometime," I say simply before patting her shoulder twice and walking out of the kitchen. I'm followed out with a very loud, "HOW DARE YOU!"

"Nice one!" I hear a voice congratulate me from beside my left shoulder. I swivel my head until I see Edmund. He puts up his hand and I high-five him. "Seriously though, why are you trying to make her angry?" he asks confused. I shake my head. Boys are so slow!

"Because she's being horrible towards me," I explain, shrugging my shoulders. He nods and smiles hesitantly.

"But do you really think that's a good idea? I mean, she's already killed you once. Do you really want to push the boundaries?" he asks. I frown. Why does he have to have some sense today?

"I guess, but she deserves it. Now I'm going to go. See you soon!" I shout out over my shoulder as I leave the room. He looks cautiously at me before he continues to walk down the silver corridor. I smile and look out into the town. I wonder where Peter is. I can't believe Starstone actually thought that I was pregnant. How stupid is she. I mean seriously, I'm not even married! Why would she believe me? I rapidly feel two arms snake around my waist, pulling me out of my interesting thoughts and bringing me back to the real world. I grin. "Hi, I was just looking for you," I tell Peter as I spin around in his muscular arms. He grins down at me famously. I want to faint, but decide against it, imagining that Peter will probably freak out if I suddenly go limp in his arms.

"Really? Well, I just got word from a reliable source that you told Starstone that you are pregnant. So I came to ask you if you would like to come for a walk to the beach with me just so that we can chat for a while," he asks me while playing with my hand. I blush. Wow, word definitely spreads quickly around this place.

"Um, okay," I reply, unsure. He grabs me by my hand and leads me towards the beach. I smile when I notice that we're the only people here. Peter brings me over to the water's edge and we dip our feet into the breaking waves. The water's freezing, but I don't really mind.

"So what's this about being pregnant?" he asks curiously. I smile. How do I explain this gently?

"Starstone's being a complete and utter so and so to me, so I decided just to push in a lot of random stuff just to get back at her, so I told her I was pregnant, just to get her angry and irritated," I clarify while swinging our arms between us. Peter lets out a long sigh of relief as I tell him this. I grin.

"Thank Aslan! I thought you were pregnant with someone else's child," he says. I widen my eyes and let go of his hand, before taking a few steps back. He thought I made out with someone else. Right, he's lost it!

"You thought...oh no, Peter. I would never even dream of doing something like that until I'm at least married. I can't believe that you thought I was really pregnant. Honestly, when will you learn to understand my type of humour? It was just to annoy Starstone, I promise," I tell him while I give him a reassuring hug. He smiles down at me and quickly kisses my forehead.

"Thanks. That is pretty reassuring I have to admit, but I don't know if it's a good idea to do annoy her like that. I think she has some psychological problems and I would hate for her to suddenly snap at you again," he tells me cautiously.

"But what am I supposed to do then? She's being so rude to me. In fact why is she even still in the castle? Why haven't you gotten rid of her yet? She's going to keep trying to kill me until she actually succeeds," I say with furrowed eyebrows.

"I have tried everything in my power to try and get rid of her, but apparently the only way to get rid of the head servant is if she quits, she dies, or Aslan tells her to go. I'm not sure why Aslan hasn't come to restore order here yet, but I guess there's a reason for it. As for what to do, just ignore her." I frown, but nod all the same. I suppose I can give him the benefit of the doubt – this time. "Now, down to business. I had to talk to you about something; and no it is not about pregnancy so don't even think about that," he starts to say but then stops and looks down at the gleaming, white sand.

"What is it?" I ask curiously. He blushes scarlet. That's strange! It must be really embarrassing for him to ask, considering Peter doesn't usually blush. He looks up at me, his blue eyes boring into my brown ones.

"Now I know this is sudden, so just bear with me okay?" he advises me. I nod my head in agreement. Sudden? What is he talking about? I notice now that he's wearing very fancy clothes and that his hair is nicely combed and his crown's planted dead flat in the middle of his head instead of being crooked like it usually is. He shyly gets down on one knee and pulls out a little box. I smile slowly. He isn't!

"Ashley Masen, you are the most amazing, beautiful, confident girl I have ever known. I feel blessed each and every day you are with me. You are so beautiful inside and out. The way you care for your little sister and support her day in and day out by yourself is incredible, which is how I know that one day you will make the most amazing mother known to man. I can't even to begin to describe how much I love you. I know in my heart that I want to spend my whole life with you, so will you marry me?" he asks confidently, but, in a weird way, also shyly. He flips open the little, black box and I gasp. The ring! Oh my goodness! It's gorgeous!

It's white gold and it has one huge diamond planted smack bang in the middle of it with a two rows of smaller diamonds surrounding the big one. It also has diamonds circling the band of the ring that split off at the sides to meet up with the top and bottom row of diamonds. It sparkles under the light of the bright sun. It must have cost a fortune; you can't buy these types of rings in the shop, so he must have gotten it specially made. I close my mouth and bite on my bottom lip.

"So?" he asks expectantly. I don't know what to say so I do the first thing that comes to mind...I burst out laughing. There's no way to hide the emotion that's welling up in me. He's not serious about wanting to marry me! There's no way! I come down from my giggle high after about five minutes. Peter's still down on one knee looking very awkward.

"Peter, you are not serious are you?" I ask him, raising an eyebrow while looking down at him. He looks quite upset.

"Actually, I am," he replies softly with a tear rolling down his cheek.

Oh crap!


	12. Answer

"Peter, you're not serious are you?" I ask him, raising an eyebrow while looking down at him. He looks quite upset.

"Actually, I am," he replies softly with a tear rolling down his cheek.

Oh crap!

Why do I always mess perfect moments up? Oh, that's right, because I'm an idiot, that's why! I close my eyes for a second, trying to escape reality in hope that it's all dream, but of course luck obviously isn't on my side today. I open my eyes again to the devastating face of my boyfriend.

"Peter, I'm sorry. I didn't expect it and to be truthfully honest I thought you were joking. I mean, I'm only eighteen. You don't usually expect your nineteen year old boyfriend to propose to you at my age. I didn't mean to hurt you at all. What you said was beautiful and I loved every second of it, I just wasn't expecting it. I'm sorry," I apologise softly and quietly while looking at my finger nails. They've suddenly become very interesting. As I fiddle with them though, I can't help the tears that begin to well up in my eyes and fall down my cheeks. I hear the sound of shuffling sand and instantly know that Peter has stood up. I look up at him slowly. He looks so sad. His eyes are glazed over and I can tell that he's trying to keep all his emotions in tack. I feel so guilty! With all his emotions though, he's still gentleman enough to wipe away my salty tears.

"It's alright, I understand. I know that you're only eighteen, but I love you and I got told by Aslan himself that I had to be married within a year and today seemed like the perfect day to propose and I really wanted to make it special and memorable for you," he explains shyly. I smile up at him shakily.

"You know, Peter, even though I totally messed up your whole plan, it was really sweet of you to come up with a way to make it memorable for me. I really appreciate it and, for the record, I feel terrible for laughing at you," I tell him, honesty raining out of my voice. He looks at me then. He's smiling faintly, but not enough for me to feel any better about what I have said and done.

"I forgive you for laughing at me, but, you know, you still haven't answered the question," he comments. I grimace. I was hoping he had forgotten about the answer!

"Um...well," I stutter out un-helpfully while looking at the floor.

"Would it help if I got down on one knee again?" he asks curiously.

"NO!" I shout out at him while quickly looking up at his shocked face. He looks a little taken aback by my sudden outburst. "I mean no, I just have to think for a moment please; this is really sudden," I edit as calmly as I can. He nods his head once before looking down. I go over the past eleven and a half months in my head quickly, from the first time we had met all the way to the present scenario. Every time I'm around Peter I smile brightly it seems. Maybe we are right for each other. I take a glimpse over to Peter and then quickly steal a glance over my shoulder at the giant, white-stone castle that stands behind me.

If Edmauel is right, then I will one day be Queen. That one word alone should cause me to make up my mind, but it only makes the answer to the question that much harder. Marriage seems like such a scary word as I think about it now. Everything around me is a blur as I go over every possible aspect of matrimony in my head. When I really think hard about it, the only thing holding me back from marrying the star of all my dreams is the fact that we're both still so young! Will we both be committed enough to each other to be able to pull off such a young marriage? I already know the answer to that question. Yes, we would. I look at Peter who's now staring at me carefully, obviously trying to read all the different emotions that are splayed across my face. After what seems like forever he stops looking at me and turns his attention to the white sand. He looks sad.

"Peter, I will marry you," I blurt out quickly. His eyes shoot up to mine quickly.

"What did you say?" he asks me amazed. I smile lightly at him while taking a few steps forward so that I can wrap my arms around his neck.

"Peter, I will marry you," I repeat slowly, smiling. His eyes suddenly light up like a child's on Christmas morning. Then he unexpectedly pulls me in for a giant, passionate kiss. I freeze for a second before I start kissing him back. His arms wrap tightly around my waist as my hands knot themselves in his soft hair. I suddenly feel very light and looked down to realise that I'm off the ground. I don't really care though, we just keep kissing. After a few minutes he puts me back onto my feet and pulls away before slipping the white-gold ring onto my left hand. He kisses my knuckle after putting it on and then takes a step back.

"Thank you. This means so much to me!" he exclaims as he pulls me in for a hug. I beam brightly.

"Peter, why are you thanking me? Of course I was going to say yes," I tell him honestly. He smiles.

"Because I know how sudden the question was and then your reaction to it...I was worried that you were going to say no," he explains while grimacing. I smile and grab his hand with my left one before I lightly peck his cheek with a kiss. I look down for a second and I could've sworn that I saw him look at the sparkling, bright, blue ocean. When I look up at his face, he smiles again, or should I say smirks. Let's just say that it's a smile I don't trust one bit.

"Peter, what are you –" he cuts me off abruptly as he picks me up suddenly and walks towards the water's edge. "No, don't you dare!" I screech at him, while hitting his chiselled chest. Wait – when did he take his shirt off?

"Aww, don't you want to go for a swim?" he taunts. I grab him around his neck as we get closer and closer to the ocean.

"No, I don't!" I screech at him loudly. He starts laughing at me hysterically.

"Are you sure?" he manages to gasp out in between breaths. I frown.

"Yes I'm sure! Now put me down, Peter Pevensie!" I scream at him. He smirks evilly for a second, before he shrugs his shoulders. I look down and notice that we're standing in the ocean.

"If you insist," he says, before throwing me into the freezing, cold water. I scream loudly before I sink beneath the surface. He's going to pay. I swim back up to the surface of the water and let a wave push me back to the shoreline. I look up quickly and glare at my now laughing boyfriend – oh wait no, I should say fiancé. I stand up and point a finger angrily at him.

"You are going to pay!" I promise, before running up to him and jumping up into his arms. He hugs me back while laughing in my ear. After a few seconds, he pushes me off him and grabs my left hand.

"How do you plan on doing that?" he asks, while raising one of his eyebrows. I smile innocently at him, as I take a step forward.

"Like this," I whisper menacingly in his ear, before flinging him like a dirty rag into the sparkling, blue water. I hear the splash as he lands into a large wave and starts to laugh heavily. I watch in amusement as his head pops out of the water. He shakes the water out of his hair which causes me to sigh. Who knew that Peter was even more attractive soaking wet? I watch the muscles in his arms unashamedly as he half swims-half walks up to the shoreline.

"How did you do that?" he asks in amazement as he stands up a few paces in front of me. I shrug.

"After ten years of play wresting with your father in the front lawn, you would want to hope that you built up a bit of strength," I tell him smirking. He shakes his head slowly.

"You are so sneaky," he says before running up and picking me up before precariously, flinging me over his shoulder.

"Peter, put me down!" I scream as I bash his back. He seems to lose his footing for a second before I suddenly feel very lightweight. We both fall into the blue water with a very big splash before we take one look at each other and both burst out laughing.

"I put you down," he says after a few minutes. I playfully splash him as he swims up to me and grabs me around my waist. He starts to slowly kiss my neck, but, as nice at it feels, I'm not in the mood for a romantic swim, I just want to muck around in the water. So I splash him again, and again, and again. He eventually gets the idea and picks me up before throwing me over his shoulder so that I do a somersault before landing in the cold water. I surface and quickly swim up to him.

He splashes me before I swim around to his back and proceed to jump up onto his shoulders. He laughs at me as I try to splash him from above his head. I decide that this is almost impossible to do in a dress though, so I quickly jump off his back and swim onto the white shore and slip off the dress so that I'm left in my undergarments. I dive back into the water and quickly duck-dive under a wave so that I'm back with Peter. He splashes me again which causes us to enter a full on water fight. After a while the playful splashing turns into playful, water wrestling.

We toss each other around in the deeper water and throw seaweed whenever the other one has their back turned. It's so much fun that I almost don't notice when around a dozen mermaids come onto the scene. They have all swum up to the shoreline and watch on in amusement as Peter and I tackle one another in the whitewash. I have just dunked Peter beneath the white, foamy water when I hear one of the little female mermaids laugh in a high, soprano voice. I hear Peter rise up out of the water just as a few of the young boys start laughing. I glance at Peter and he seems just as baffled as me. The little girl that's laughing starts to point behind us. Peter and I spin around at the same time only to be wiped out by a huge, aqua wave. As soon as I'm underwater, I swim up to the shore.

I stand up once I know I'm on the damp sand and instantly feel Peter beside me. He grabs my left hand and kisses the ring that's, thankfully, still placed on my ring finger.

"That was so cool!" I hear one of the merboys exclaim as he looks at us. "Mother, can we please go and wrestle in the whitewash too?" he asks, turning to the black-haired mermaid next to him who's obviously his mother. She seems hesitant.

"Well okay, but be careful," she warns. The young children all nod and are instantly in the whitewash wrestling as soon as the sentence is out. I smile at the small children as they precariously throw seaweed at each other and tumble aimlessly through the soft waves. I feel Peter tug on my hand and I follow him as he leads me to an old, brown, worn-out log that's sitting in the beautiful sunshine on the dry, white sand. He sits down and pulls me down next to him so that I can cuddle up to him, but still dry all my soaking, wet clothes in the process. I lean my head tiredly against his shoulder as he puts his head on mine. It's quite late. The bright, blue sky is beginning to turn a faint pink colour and the sun is starting to set on the horizon.

"I love you," Peter whispers lovingly into my ear. I sigh in bliss.

"I love you too," I whisper back. The truth behind those few words is starting to make me feel dizzy. I do love him with all my heart, mind, strength, and body. I will jump in front of him if someone goes to stab him. I will cheerfully die for him, because I know that he will be safe. The thought of dying for him is scary in my mind, but in my heart I know I would. I feel him very lightly kiss my hair. I smile and wrap my arms around his torso. I suddenly remember something that I was meaning to ask him. "Peter, why did you buy a new set of armour this morning?" I ask curiously while looking up at his face. He looks down at me and smiles.

"It's for you. I thought you would like a set of armour just simply to protect yourself. Is that okay?" he asks worriedly. I smile and blush ruby. He is so sweet! I can't believe he got me armour.

"Yes, that's fine – trust me," I reassure him, while looking into his blue eyes. He leans down quickly and catches my lips in a quick, loving kiss before pulling away and looking out towards the sunset. I look out towards it too. It's beautiful. The sky is bright pink, fire red, and glowing orange all in one. All the blue's gone. The sun's only just peeking out from above the horizon causing the water to take on the colours from the sky. I watch as the mermaids swim away into the depths of the ocean only to be replaced with joyous dolphins that are jumping and surfing gleefully in the glossy waves. The gentle, warm, sea breeze brushes against my dry, soft skin as I sigh in contentment. Peter really made today memorable. There's no way that I will be able to forget any of it. "Thank you," I say while turning to look at his face. He smiles lightly.

"Thank you for what?" he asks curiously. I unwrap my left arm from around him and look at the sparkling diamond ring.

"For everything. Today was amazing and I'll never forget it," I whisper while twisting my hand. The ring looks pink in the light of the sun and is shooting off twinkling sparkles in every direction. I feel him tighten the grip he had on me and instantly cuddle back into him.

"I'm glad that you'll never forget it. That was sort of my plan after all," he smirks down at me, humour obvious in his tone. I hit his arm playfully and smile.

"Of course it was, Pete," I say lightly. I hear him chuckle lightly before I lean my head back onto his comfortable shoulder. We sit in a relaxed silence as we watch the large sun sink beneath the horizon. We observe the sky together as little dots of sparkling light start to appear all over it. Peter softly pushes me off him after a while and stands up before offering me his hand. I grab it and he gently pulls me up off the old, beaten-up log. We walk hand in hand along the ocean shore. The quiet noise of the glistening waves breaking on the seashore is the only sound to be heard.

"I love you," Peter tells me as he stops. He spins me around and pulls me into him carefully.

"I love you too," I reply before leaning up a bit so that I can give him a kiss. He leans down to meet me half-way. As soon as his lips meet mine, I'm in heaven. The kiss is full of undeniable love. I feel my heart burst at the mere thought of having him with me forever. He pulls away from me slowly, smiling his famous, breath-taking smile, before grabbing my hand again and walking me back to the castle. As we enter the town, I'm shocked to discover that the town is dead silent. There is no one in sight. All the candles in the houses and shops are blown out along with the candles that line the side of the street. "What's going on?" I ask rhetorically. My breath is shaky though. I glance over to one of the stalls. There is a white moondial that's visible in the silver light of the moon. I look at it closely. It's only nine pm; usually the streets are still packed at this time with creatures heading home or going out to one of the many restaurants that scatter the town.

I tighten my grip on Peter's hand, too afraid to admit that I'm terrified. He tightens his grip on mine too, not in fright like me though, but in comfort. His thumb traces soothing circles on my palm trying his best to relax me. It works, in a few seconds I'm fully relaxed which is why as soon as I hear the noise of footsteps behind us I jump. It's suddenly silent again. I feel my heart start to quicken as I hear heavy breathing coming from behind Peter and I. He lets go of my hand then, before I hear the sound of a sword being drawn.

I see Peter spin around in the corner of my eye and notice that his facial expression turns to one of horror. As quick as lightning, Peter's arm encircles me and pulls me behind him in a protective stance. I take a glance over his shoulder and realise what has made him so protective all of a sudden. There are four huge creatures. All their teeth are sharp and stained red with blood and all their coats looked black in the moonlight. I also notice a tinge of red mixed in with the black; they're the exact replica of the creature from my reoccurring nightmare. Peter's hand is still on my waist. I feel him pull me forward inch by inch until I'm fully pressed up against his back.

I'm shaking with fright as I watch the creatures in front of Peter start walking forward slowly towards us. I see the glint of Peter's sword as he points it straight at the first creature. The creature snarls with fury as it pounces at us. Peter pushes me back quickly so that I fall onto the dirt pathway a few feet away from me. He slices the beast's head off quickly and then speedily turns to the other three. They start to circle him. He can't face three by himself; there's no way! I jump up to my feet using my hands as leverage and run towards Peter. He has another sword with him so I grab it out of its sheath and stand against his back, pointing it sharply at the horrid beast.

It takes a step towards me. I don't care. As long as Peter doesn't get hurt I'm fine. It snarls viciously at me before taking a leap and soaring towards me. I slash my sword in anger and jab the creature in the heart. It falls to the ground in a heap of blood. I hear a yelp as I spin around to look at the other two creatures. I notice that one of them is dead on the ground, while the other one stalks closer and closer towards us. It leans back on its hind legs ready to pounce. Peter shoves me backwards instantly causing me to skid painfully along the gravel ground until I'm a few metres away from the action. I know I have a huge scrape along my side, but at the moment I can't care less. I watch on in absolute horror as the creature pounces at Peter. I hear the slash of Peter's sword as the creatures head flies over to the other side of the street, causing blood to splatter over both of us. I barely notice though, my main attention was on my fiancé who, at the moment, is knocked to the ground by the huge body of the beast.

"PETER!" I scream as I get up off the ground and run forward hurriedly. Once I reach him, I push the giant creature off him, not caring about the blood that covers my hands while I'm doing it. I look down at Peter's pale, but bloodied face. He looks angry. There's a huge deep, cut on his cheek that's oozing blood. I sigh in relief as he looks up at me. I immediately lean down and give him a hug before the emotions of the day start to catch up to me. I start to cry. I drench his shirt in a matter of seconds with red tears. That was one of the most frightful experiences of my life.

"Are you okay?" he asks me, concern ringing out of his voice like bells. Am I okay? Is he insane?

"Peter, you just killed an unknown creature before it fell on top of you and you're asking if I'm okay," I reply, shocked, while lightly wiping a drop of blood away from the deep cut with my finger. He smirks in humour.

"Yes, I am. You're going to be my wife in a few months. It's my job to protect you and keep you safe," he explains while standing up and helping me up. He gives my red forehead a kiss before he speaks again.

"Let's go and get cleaned up and have some dinner," he suggests. I nod while he wraps his arm around my waist and leads me inside the castle. We walk through the large, front door and slowly walk over to the Great Hall.

"Do you think people are going to freak out when they see us?" I ask Peter when we reach the doorway of the Great Hall. He laughs openly.

"Probably, but that's what will make it so much fun!" he exclaims happily. I smile. It will be pretty funny to watch their reactions. I lean my ear against the door and notice that there is a large amount of different voices in the room.

"Alright, let's go in," I say. Peter opens the door for me and I casually walk into the huge hall. A chorus of "Congratulations" fill the room instantly before everything goes quiet. The music, that was playing rather happily, dies down at once as does all the chatter. Most of them look absolutely, one-hundred percent horrified and shocked. I look at Peter in the light of the candles and realise that he's looking at me. I also realise what a state he's in. He's pretty much red with blood. There isn't one piece of normal colour left at all. I look down at my own body and realise that I pretty much look the same. My dress, which I had put on back at the beach, is ripped at the seams and has slashes all through it. Both my shoes are missing and my side has a huge, deep gash in it that runs from mid-thigh all the way up to my waist.

It's flowing with blood and has gravel and bits of dirt all through it. I hadn't noticed how bad it was until this moment, but now that I think about it, it really hurts. I feel some tears roll down my cheeks as the pain starts to increase to its maximum. Everyone in the room is still in shock. I suddenly feel a hand lightly touch the wound and relax as I look down to notice Peter.

"What was this from?" he asks hesitantly as he lightly wipes away some of the blood. I grimace.

"Skidding across dirt and gravel," I reply cautiously. He looks back down to my wound guiltily. I look up at the room then in need of something that will divert my attention away from the painful sensation that's flowing throughout my body. Some of the creatures finally start to move again, their shock wearing off. I watch one of the town's nurses as she races out the door and comes back a few moments later with a bucket and cloth. She kneels down at my side in an instant and gently places the wet cloth onto my wound. I hiss in pain as she wipes away some of the blood. I notice a lot of the creatures come up to me then, all of them have their attention directed at my injury.

"Sorry, this might sting," the nurse warns me. I nod my head just as she starts to apply some sort of lotion to my skin. It's soothing at first, until it touches the deep gash. I grit my teeth together in pain and tighten my grip on a hand that I don't even realise I'm holding.

"Loosen your grip, Ash," Peter warns. I let go of his hand quickly and look back down to the nurse. The pain subsides as she places something over the top of it. "Are you okay?" Peter asks worriedly.

"Yes. I knew I had injured myself, I just didn't realise how bad it was until now," I explain. He grimaces and gently places a kiss on my forehead.

"It'll be fine in a few days," he promises me. I smile.

"I know," I answer him simply. I see Peter face a dryad then and smile when he tells her to run a warm bath for me. The beautiful girl spins around quickly and heads out the doorway. "Thanks," I whisper in his ear. He gives my forehead a quick kiss before focusing on the nurse.

"Alright, Ashley. Be careful and try not to put too much pressure on it," she tells me. I smile at her kindness.

"Sure and thank you," I say. She smiles back at me before picking up her stuff and quickly scurrying out the door. I look at Peter then. He's frowning at me. "What's wrong?" I ask him tenderly.

"It's just...I'm your fiancé I'm supposed to be looking after you and protecting you. Seeing you injured like this, it pains me inside, Ash," he explains. I smile lovingly at him and lace my fingers with his.

"Let's head upstairs to talk," I suggest before dragging him out of the Hall. We walk quickly up the stairs to our floor before casually walking over to Peter's room. The guards open the large doors for us before we nonchalantly stroll in. I sigh as the smoky smell of burning wood catches my attention. The fire's burning hot as Peter sits down in front of the old, stone fireplace. I look down at him just as he opens his arms up to me. I shake my head slowly. He frowns.

"Since when don't you want me to cuddle you?" he asks upset. I sigh.

"I want too, but I also want to go and get cleaned up before getting comfortable. We're both still covered in blood you know," I remind him. He smiles weakly.

"Don't take too long," he warns me. I smirk at him before quickly running out of the room and heading straight to my new one. I open up the door with a creak and quickly scurry over to my closet. I tear the door open and grab the closest dress I see, which just happened to be long and dark blue, and hurry over to the bathroom. I strip off the shredded remains of my yellow and white dress before quickly hopping into the bath. I sit down slowly, waiting for the water to sting my wound, but I never feel it. I look down at my side, confused. I swear my jaw hits the bottom of the bathtub. The wound is healing in front of my very eyes. I watch on in awe as the skin closes up until there's no cut left. The area where it had been yellows over, and then disappears all together.

My hand finds its way to my side to feel around for it. There's no evidence that there was ever anything there. I smile brightly before leaning back. Wait, shouldn't the water be red? I look down at my body. I'm back to my normal, pale self. The dryad must have put something in the water to heal it. I smile in spite of myself. I should probably get out. I stand up and carefully get out of the bath tub before drying myself off and throwing on my long new dress. My hair is a mess. I comb through it roughly before going straight to Peter's room. As soon as I enter I spot him. By the looks of it he hasn't moved, but I know he has because he has fresh attire on now and is clean as a button. I skip happily over to him and sit down on his lap. His arms wrap around me carefully, before I nestle back into his chest.

"How's your battle wound?" he asks curiously, while lightly tracing a line down my right side where the scrape used to be. I chuckle while turning my head around to look at his face.

"Gone," I reply simply. He furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you mean by gone?" he inquires. I smirk.

"The dryad put some healing lotion in the bath and it disappeared in seconds," I explain happily. His face falls into a huge smile then, illuminating slight dimples in his cheeks. How have I never noticed that he has dimples before?

"I'm glad to hear that," he tells me while tightening his grip around me. I snuggle in closer to his chest.

"Peter, what date do you want to get married on?" I inquire incredulously. He thinks about it for a few seconds.

"I'm not really sure, but I think I would like to get married within the next few months."

"Hmm, okay then. The tenth of August it is." He chuckles a little bit to himself before giving my forehead a kiss.

"That sounds perfect, Ash," he comments. I smile.

"Okay, then the date's official," I say with a grin.

"Good, now onto more important things, I have a meeting starting at seven am tomorrow morning and its now eleven-thirty pm. I think we should both probably head off to bed," he suggests. Unfortunately he's right, as usual, which means I have to leave him for the night, much to my dismay.

"Fine," I huff before standing up slowly. He smiles up at me gingerly.

"Good girl. I love you and I'll see you in the morning," he promises while standing up. He gives my lips a quick peck before walking over to the door and opening it. I roll my eyes at him while I walk over to the large door. I stop in the doorway with a sudden thought.

"You're trying to get rid of me!" I accuse. He smirks at me evilly.

"I don't want to get rid of you, but, Ash, I'm extremely tired. Please leave so that I can get some sleep. It's been a physically and emotionally exhausting day," he begs. I sigh and give his lips a quick kiss before walking out the doorway.

"Okay then, I'll talk to you in the morning," I say with a faint smile followed directly after with a yawn. I hear Peter chuckle.

"I love you and I'll see you tomorrow," he promises. With those words he closes his chamber door and leaves me in the ill lit hallway. I yawn again and hurriedly walk to my bedroom. I shut the door once I'm inside and instantly get out of my dress and put on my pyjamas. I jump into bed and quickly pull the warm, soft sheets over my body. A sudden dream pops up into my mind. I'm in the bright, green, happy forest. Around me are blooming blossoms and roses. There are some dryads that keep swirling around me in elegant swirls. I hear an angelic, low voice say my name suddenly. I turn around and see the beautiful and magnificent lion, Aslan, standing behind me in all his glory. My legs carry me over to him as fast as humanly possible before we fall to the ground together. He laughs deeply and then grows serious.

"You are in great danger, Ashley. Just remember that I am always with you through everything. Never lose hope and I will promise you now that no loved ones are going to get hurt nor are you," he tells me seriously. Great danger? What does he mean? I'm suddenly startled awake by the creaking sound of the door opening. I can see a shadow enter and then it just disappears. I look around and can't see anything. I snuggle under my silk doona even more. Suddenly I feel tight arms grab me and secure my mouth with a rope.

I struggle in their tight grip, but the grasp only grows tighter every time I do. In the end I just give up. I let the "thing" pull me harshly out of my bed. It's so dark tonight. I still can't make out who or what it was. Great, I'm going to die a few months before my wedding. What a joy! The creature grabs my shoulders fiercely and pulls me up so that I'm standing. They fling me over their shoulder and start walking towards the door. I hit their back, trying to get them to let go of me. Goodness, how strong is this creature? It's as if I'm not even here. We exit my bedroom and walk down the pitch-black hallway. I give up with hitting the thing since it isn't actually doing anything. I think I make out the outline of a horse back in the black hallway, but I can't be certain. We walk down the stairs and exit the castle. The vague outline of lots of trees come into view soon. The forest. We walk into it, only to suddenly be swarmed by flying creatures. They looked a bit like...owls? We must be in owl wood! The sound of hooting follows quickly afterwards, proving my hypothesis correct. The creature grabs my arms then, pulling me off their shoulders and throwing me harshly onto the ground.

"Ouch!" I yelp through the rope as I land painfully on a tree root. I hear evil laughter from above me, which, oddly enough, sounds painfully familiar. I feel something bash me across the head and then the next thing I know, everything goes pitch-black.


	13. Rescue Missions

Peter POV

"Wakey, wakey, Your Majesty! It's time for another beautiful day!" I hear a high-pitched female voice say. I groan and roll onto my side.

"Can I please have five more minutes?" I ask tiredly. Out of nowhere comes a very bright light. I groan and roll away from the open window. Golly, these servants are so pushy!

"King Peter –" I cut her off then with my hand before turning over onto my back and looking up at her shining, blue eyes.

"It's just Peter for you, Kabella," I stress before rolling back onto my side. She sighs long and hard. I wish she would just leave me alone and let me get my well-deserved rest.

"Fine then, Peter, please get up so that Starstone doesn't kill me. I promised her yesterday that I would wake you up in time for your first meeting of the day, so pretty please," she pleads. I roll my eyes and sit up.

"Nothing in the world is going to get me out of this bed until at least ten am. I haven't been getting very much sleep lately, as you already know. So I would appreciate it if you just left me now," I state unenthusiastically while falling back down onto the soft, heather mattress.

"But you have a meeting at sev –" I cut her off with my hand again. She groans and is about to leave when a very worried looking Malina comes rushing in. Her eyes are red from crying and she seems out of breath.

"Peter, Ashley's missing!" she exclaims in absolute alarm. I sit up and freeze immediately. Ashley's missing! She can't be.

"Malina are you sure she's not out in the town somewhere. You know planning the wedding," I suggest. She shakes her head.

"She's gone, I've looked everywhere and, besides, there's people who say they saw someone carrying something that was struggling out of the castle last night. They said that whoever it was headed straight to Owl Wood," she exclaims in absolute hysterics. Tears are flowing rapidly down her pale cheeks and landing on the floor with quiet drops. She wipes her eyes and comes to sit next to me on the bed. "Your Majesty!" she screams while putting her cold hand on my shoulder. There are guards everywhere in this castle. No one can possibly just walk in and take Ashley out of her bedroom without the guards outside my room knowing. I mean the door to her bedroom is well hidden as well. It blends in with the surrounding wall. It's so well hidden in fact that, when it's dark, it's almost impossible to find the door handle. I grab the hand on my shoulder and look her in the eyes.

"Come on, Malina! You have to show me where Owl Wood is," I say while getting up and throwing on some random clothes. She nods and grabs my hand before pulling me out of the room. Malina speeds me out the door and through the narrow streets of the town until we arrive at the edge of the light forest. From here she leads me due North until we reach a wooden sign post that reads "Owl Wood". She drags me into the forest and stops.

"This is it. Would you like me to com –"

"Yes!" I cut her off quickly. I am not exactly in the mood to be in some unknown place by myself. I need a clue, anything, to prove that she was here. I glance down, my eyes instantly being drawn to what looks like fresh trails. I walk forward and get down on my knees to closely inspect them. There are two sets. The first deposits are of hoof marks and the second set looks like drag marks. I tilt my head naturally. Something came through here. "Come on, Malina, lets follow these tracks." Her sniffles from behind me is all the answer I need. I stand back up and start to follow them. The tracks lead us deep into the forest; I have to jump over brambles and push through branches constantly. Eventually though, we reach an open space. I stop abruptly. The tracks have vanished. Hmm...I wonder if there's an underground cavern or something. I feel warm skin lightly touch my hand suddenly and I jump slightly before looking over my shoulder.

"Sorry," Malina apologises. "I'm just really scared. What if someone's murdered her, Peter?" she asks, her eyes flooding with tears again. I quickly look down at my feet in anguish before my eyes grow wide. On the floor, covered in dust and dirt, is the engagement ring I only gave Ashley yesterday. I pick it up and put it in my pocket. No matter what happens, I will never lose this ring. I feel tears welling up in my eyes at the thought of her being executed. What if I never see her again? I blink the tears away in anger. No! I will see her again, if it's the last thing I do. I look down again. Malina cannot see me like this. Hey, what's that? On the floor is what looks to be a crack in the earth. I follow it around curiously. It looks like some sort of door. I put my left foot on it experimentally. The ground instantly rumbles and shakes before it begins to move. I startle back in surprise. Malina and I both watch on shocked as the ground rises up to reveal a secret door hidden underneath.

I grab her hand and very slowly open the door. As we walk cautiously inside, I glance around the room. The walls and floors are all made of a dark stone. The walls themselves are covered with whips and ancient looking devices. There are a few chains hanging up along the walls as well. I know instantly that it's a dungeon of some sort. I hear hooves walking toward us then. Malina and I search around frantically until we find a room that we can hide in. We dive in and shut the door quietly behind us. I could've fought off whoever it is, but considering I don't know how many people there are here, I don't want to risk it! I stop breathing as soon as I hear the footsteps outside the doorway. We hear them go up the ramp and the main entrance close shortly after. We wait a few moments to make sure there are no others before I look at Malina and open the door quietly. Once the sight is clear we walk out and down the hallway. I strain my ears for anything that will tell me that Ashley is here; I can't hear anything but my own heart beat and breathing though. We walk a bit further on until Malina tugs at my hand. I didn't even realise she was holding it. "Oh, Peter, it's no use! We are never going to find her," Malina says, truly upset.

"Don't...say that...Malina!" I say through gritted teeth. As soon as I stop talking, I suddenly hear someone moving. I look around in the dark tunnel and find a set of bronze keys followed shortly after by a door. I put my ear to the entrance and, sure enough, there's shuffling. I move back and find the lock. After sliding the key in, I tear the door open and gasp in horror.

Ashley POV (2 hours prior to Peter POV)

I wake up to what feels like an eternity later. My back's really sore and my head is aching. I look around slowly and notice that I'm in a dark, damp, small, and – very smelly – room. The floor is made up of a cold, dark stone and has little clusters of weeds growing through the cracks of it. There is no window; only a small, wooden door planted on the left wall. I look up at the roof then and notice a small, brown bat hanging upside above me. It's peering down at me; its dark, black eyes are full of curiosity. Where on earth am I? I feel warm tears starting to well up in my eyes as realization dawns suddenly me. I'm in a cell or dungeon!

I quickly look down towards the hard and cold floor. It's now that I notice a trail of blood leading from the doorway to my body. I put my hand on the floor, trying to support myself so that I can get up and get a better look, but quickly pull it away after I feel something warm and sticky underneath it. I take it up to eye level and see that my hand is completely covered in blood. I gasp and let the tears roll down my cheeks. There's also something else missing; my engagement ring. I hold in my weep in fear of the creature coming back and bashing me. I just want a nice, warm, tight hug from Peter right now. I need to get out of here. I use the wall as a sort of scale and try to pull myself up by it. My fingers dig into the cracks in the stone work, effectively working like a ladder. My legs feel weak as I put all my weight on them.

Ahh! I gasp as pain surges right up throughout my entire body. I collapse onto the ground and look down at my swollen leg. I must have broken it. I rub it and notice all the huge, deep, bloody cuts and purple bruises that cover my body. My nightgown is torn and has holes all through it; it only just covers my body. I reach up to comb my fingers though my hair only to pull out a bunch of leaves and twigs. I lie back down and start softly crying to myself. My nose is runny and tears run down my cheeks in flowing rivers. Stop it, Ashley! You're stronger than this! Oh how I wish my thoughts are true! It feels like hours before I actually stop and sit up.

My leg is throbbing with pain and all I want to do is get out of here and back to the castle to be with Peter. The problem is, even if I try to get out and succeed, I will have to crawl the entire way back to the castle and, since I don't even know where I am, that doesn't seem like a very smart idea. If only Aslan were here so I can cuddle up in his soft mane and sleep in comfort instead of on hard ground. At that moment I turn my face around so that I'm facing the door and there stands the Great Lion himself.

"Aslan!" I exclaim, the last of the tears slowing at once until finally stopping. He smiles at me and walks forward. I wish I can jump up and just tackle him into the floor in a bear hug, but I can't because of this stupid leg. He lays down in front of me so that he's eye to eye with me. I smile and position myself so that I'm lying on his warm, soft mane.

"Ashley, you are starting to lose hope in yourself. You should never do that. Always remember that I am here when you need me," he says sternly. I nod my head in his mane and look him in the eyes.

"Thank you, Aslan," is all I'm able to say. He smiles at me.

"Help is on the way right now, Dear One. Never lose hope," he says before he suddenly vanishes. I feel like crying again. I at least want him to stay until the help arrives. Without warning, I hear hooves outside my cell. The lock turns roughly and in comes the biggest terror ever. As soon as it notices that I'm awake, it gets out a giant bat and bashes me over the head with it. I cry out in pain.

"STOP! PLEASE STOP!" I cry out. It grabs my chin harshly forces it up before it gets out a long, sharp knife. It slices my arm roughly, effectively causing more blood to flow from my body. I cry out some more in pain. It tosses the knife back into its sheathe then before it turns around and leaves me alone. I hear the door slam closed as the keys rattle in the heavy lock again. I wish I can die. That is all I want to do right now; die! I don't even know what I did wrong to deserve this type of punishment. Maybe this is what Aslan was talking about. I am losing hope in myself. I want to give in and just die. I cringe internally at the thought, worried that if I cringe physically I might just injure myself even worse. I stop suddenly as soon as I hear the main entrance close. It must have left.

"Yes!" I whisper quietly to myself. I can survive just a bit longer as long as I don't think about my aching leg and the horrible, bloody puddle that I'm lying in right now. I close my eyes in hope of a little bit of sleep before the help arrives. It works, within seconds I'm lost in my dreams.

Peter POV (Back to where we were at before)

I take a few steps slowly forward until I'm fully inside the small, damp room. There's a trail of blood along the dirty floor that leads up to the far corner of the cell. I look closely at a figure that is in the bend before I feel my heart start to pound a hundred miles an hour. "Ashley," I whisper softly to myself before running forward and getting down on my knees beside her. Her dark, brown hair is loose and covered in leaves and twigs. Her skin looks deadly pale, a striking comparison to the dark cell around her. A giant slice that is oozing blood runs down her left arm, covering her in flesh blood. Her dress is torn and barely covers her torso. The thing I hate most though is the fact that her eyes are closed. I grab her hand gently and feel around her red wrist for her pulse. I find it after a few seconds and breathe out a long sigh of release. At least she's alive. I hear Malina behind me crying softly. I can't blame her. I want to cry myself. I gently pick Ashley up underneath her legs and bare back, before I carry her back out into the hallway. I look down at her sadly. She seems so extremely fragile when she's injured like this.

"Peter, I know you want to wake her up and everything, but perhaps we should get out of here before the creature comes back," Malina suggests once she has stopped crying. I look up at her face and then back down to Ashley.

"You're right; we should go. I'm sure Ashley would prefer to wake up out in the light forest anyway," I agree after a few minutes of silence. I glance back up to Malina and furrow my eyebrows. She's smiling happily at me.

"You really love her don't you?" she guesses. I smile weakly myself for a moment before looking back down to my fiancée.

"Yes, I do," I admit softly as we start walking down the dusty hallway. All of a sudden I hear a flutter of wings behind me. I look over my shoulder and raise an eyebrow as a bat comes fluttering towards us. It stops about an inch away from my face before continuing over to Malina. I ignore it and continue walking and eventually make it back to the entrance. Malina is beside me after a few minutes. I watch intriguingly as she walks over to a lever and pulls it back to reveal the large doorway. She opens the door quickly and scurries out. I chuckle a little bit as the curious fruit-bat follows her out like a lost, little, puppy dog. After a few seconds, I quickly run up myself and exit so that I can close the door. Oddly enough though, as soon as the door closes, the entire dungeon disappears back under the ground.

"That was weird," Malina says as we start walking away.

"Yes, it was a little bit, but at least Ashley is safe now. I don't think I can live another day without her," I say. She smiles at me slightly before looking straight ahead of her. All of a sudden the brown bat appears again. I laugh as it continues following her, I don't even think she had realised it was there until she turned to me and came face to face with the inquisitive mammal. She startles backwards a little bit, causing me to crack up laughing. It's only now that I remember that Ashley is still in my arms. I look over to the forest and notice that there's a visible patch of greenery in between the branches of the trees.

I make my way over to them carefully and barge my way through the bushy brambles. All of a sudden I'm face to face with a beautiful, grassy meadow. The grass is a bright green with little, yellow flowers peeping up all over it. There's also a light stream running straight through the middle of it. The meadow is heavily surrounded by trees so it's a safe place to sit down and think. I walk over to the stream and sit down right next to the crystal clear, blue water. I carefully re-arrange myself so that Ashley's now laying her head on my lap and the rest of her body on the soft grass. It looks like a position that she would be happy in. I reach down into the stream and gather some water in my hands before gently pouring it on her forehead so that I can wipe away some of the blood. I then wash away the blood on her arm before getting out my dagger and tearing through the bottom part of my shirt. I take the piece of material before wrapping it tightly around the large cut. There, that should help. I hear Malina walk up to me then before I see her sit down next to me. I smile in humour as I notice the bat perched on her shoulder.

"I see you made a little friend," I tease. She rolls her eyes.

"Yes, I know, okay? I told him he could sit on my shoulder. Mind you he doesn't talk, he just seems to understand. Then I thought he was adorable, so Cinnamon is officially my new pet," she explains. I laugh as soon as she says the name 'Cinnamon'. That's such a girly name! "Are you going to wake up, Ash?" she asks suddenly. I steal a quick glance down at my sleeping fiancée. She seems quite peaceful. I don't really want to disrupt her rest, but I'm also not sure if she's in pain. I don't really want her to be hurting.

"No, I don't want her to wake up yet," I answer after a few long minutes of thought. I glance over to Malina who seems a little confused at my answer. Her eyes hold inquisitiveness as she gazes at me. "I don't want to wake her up and hear her cry out in pain. I think she's happier asleep at the moment," I add on quietly.

"I understand," she says once I'm finished. I smile softly as I soothe out Ashley's hair. "What's it like?" I look up at Malina confused.

"What's what like?"

"Well, being a High King of a country that you never knew existed and getting married at nineteen. I mean you must be very strong to be able to face all that at your age," she clarifies. I think about what she's saying for a split second before answering.

"It's hard. I mean what nineteen year old boy finds a magical land in an old wardrobe, defeats a witch, and suddenly finds himself ruling over the country and all its occupants. Not many, I can tell you that. It's frightening to think about. You never know whether your decisions are going to affect those around you in a good or bad way. I mean most of the decisions I've made since I've gotten here have pretty much destroyed lives –" Malina cuts me off then with her hand.

"If you're referring to Ashley, I'm going to slap you," she threatens in a menacing tone. I grimace. She must have noticed for she instantly slaps my arm. Ouch! The girl can be quite sassy when she wants to be. "Don't you dare say that you have destroyed her life! I've never seen Ashley so happy before. Honestly, if you could've seen her before she met you, you would understand what I mean. She was so depressed!" she explains. I look back down at Ash's peaceful, sleeping face. I could never imagine her being depressed. "Anyway, Peter, we better get Ashley to the hospital. It looks like her leg is broken," Malina points out. I look down at the swollen up knee and quickly tear another piece off of my white shirt before coiling it tightly around the break.

"Fixed," I say lightly. She glowers at me.

"I mean it," she warns while standing up. I chuckle a little bit as Cinnamon puffs out his chest like a tough man as soon as Mal is up. I follow Malina's, and Cinnamon's, lead and carefully pick up Ash underneath her knees and torn up back. We casually walk out of the meadow then, pushing past branches until we're back onto the main, dirt pathway. We stroll out of the, now light, forest casually; well as casually as you can with a bat sitting on one person's shoulder and the other carrying a young girl who looks like she's dead. As soon as we walk through the gates, all eyes are on us. The town is quiet. I can't even hear the squeak of a mouse! Malina and I walk up to the pale steps of the hospital and quickly walk inside.

Everything is spotlessly clean and white. The walls are a cream colour and match the wood flooring perfectly. There are a few chairs lined up against the western wall and a reception desk opposite them. We walk precariously up to the desk and ring the little bell that's hanging from the ceiling. I look down slowly to my angels face and furrow my eyebrows. She looks so vulnerable. I hear hooves come up to the desk after a few minutes, bringing me instantly out of my thoughts. I look up quickly to notice a female centaur standing in front of me. She has long, curly, black hair that hangs down to her knees. Her coat is also black and clings to her in such a way that it makes the plain, short fur look shiny. I look up at her face then. She has piercing, bright-green eyes that seem to burn through anything she looks at. Her skin is lightly tanned and looks clear. She's clearly looking at Ashley. Her mouth is agape and I could've sworn I hear her gasp a little.

"What happened?" she asks shakily. I can tell that she doesn't usually have to deal with serious injuries like this.

"She got kidnapped and bashed up. We found her around one pm in an underground dungeon lying in a pool of her own blood. It wasn't exactly a pleasant sight. I'm sort of worried though, she hasn't opened her eyes at all," I explain. The nurse looks quite worried at this information and immediately leads us to one of the many emergency rooms. I place Ashley carefully down on the heather bed before the door opens again. I look up from Ashley's sleeping form only to see Doctor Hedrick run in.

"What happened, Your Majesty?" he asks while rushing over to Ashley's side and immediately studying her knee.

"She got kidnapped and pretty much beaten by some psychopathic creature who owns an underground dungeon," I tell him simply. It seems I'm explaining this to a lot of people today. He looks at her worriedly.

"Has Ashley woken up at all?" he inquires while wiping away some of the blood on her body with a wet cloth. I frown.

"No," I answer him solemnly. He scribbles something down on a parchment before checking her scratches and bruises. He also takes a sample of her blood. He leaves the room for a little bit before walking back in.

"Your Majesty? I'm afraid this is a bit more serious than you expected. Ashley is in a coma."


	14. Paranoia

I feel all my insides freeze up as soon as the news sinks in. If she's in a coma then that means that she may never wake up again. Panic is now my initial emotion. If she never wakes up, then I will never get to marry her or see her eyes again or get to tell her how much I love her again.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" I ask worriedly. The doctor shakes his head.

"Sorry, but we'll just have to wait for her to wake up in her own time or plan a funeral if she doesn't," he tells Malina and I. I glance over to Malina when I hear her starting to sob and instantly walk over to give her a hug. I'm not an idiot. I know how to comfort a girl when she's upset.

"Peter, what if she never wakes up again?" Malina sobs into my chest. I frown and start to feel tears well up in my eyes.

"She will wake up, Malina. There is no way Aslan would give her to me if she was going to die before we even got married, let alone have children," I tell her solemnly. Her crying ceases in a second and I can tell that she's deep in thought as I pull away from her.

"You're right, but that could be ages away," she complains. I grimace.

"As long as she wakes up, I'll be happy," I say simply. I hear the door open again and look over to see the nurse from before.

"Doctor Hedrick, we need you in room twelve right now for the spinal operation on, Mr. Hare," she says. I look over to the doctor who has just finished writing something down on his parchment. He puts it down on the bedside table and walks over to the door.

"I'm sorry, King Peter. I'll check up on her later, but you are free to stay in here if you wish," he tells me. I nod.

"Thank you," I say. He nods in acknowledgement before leaving. The door closes slowly with a slight thump.

"Peter, I have to get back to work. I will come back later though," Malina promises. I smile at her.

"Thank you, Malina. If it wasn't for you, I probably would've never found her. I appreciate it," I whisper softly, but loud enough for her to hear. She grimaces.

"That's quite alright. I'll see you later."

"Bye," I say as she runs out the door, Cinnamon following closely behind. I grab a chair then from across the room and inaudibly place it next to the bed. I sigh quietly to myself before grabbing Ashley's left hand with mine. I suddenly remember something and carefully reach into my pocket and pull out the dazzling, diamond ring. I gently slip it onto her ring finger before intertwining her hand with mine. I put my spare arm on the edge of the mattress then and lean my head onto it. This is going to be a long few months.

Ashley POV

I'm sitting down on a rock in a beautiful meadow; a soft wind is blowing through my long, brown hair as a few of the sun's rays reach down through the branches of the large oak tree I'm leaning against and beam down on my head. There's a gentle, bright-blue stream beside me and flowers of all colours surrounding me. I pick a few of them just as a large shadow looms over me. I turn my head around a tiny bit to notice Peter watching me intently. His blue eyes hold sadness. I look down at my reflection in the crystal clear water of the stream and sigh. I look just as sad as he does. He walks forwards towards me and sits down casually on the rock beside me. I feel his arm wrap tenderly around my waist as I lean my head on his shoulder. A few tears trickle down my cheeks as he gently kisses my head.

"Are we ever going to find them?" I ask sadly. He thinks over my question quietly before answering me.

"We will. I promise, I won't let anything happen to them." I nod softly. He smiles faintly and encircles his other arm around me so that I'm curled up in his arms. "I love you," he tells me. I smile at his words.

"I love you too." I spin my head around a little bit so that I can kiss him on the lips. He happily accepts and quickly grabs my lips with his. The kiss is gentle and loving, full of reassurance. I smile against his lips. He gently pulls away, but keeps me in a tight hug. I feel myself shake a little bit with cold as the wind starts to pick up and blow dark clouds over our heads, blocking out all the sunlight. The meadow grows dark very quickly. I continue to shake and suddenly start to hear familiar voices. They're very faint, but still there.

"Ashley," I hear a soft voice say, pulling me out of the queer dream – or should I call it vision. It seems like something that Aslan would give me. I try to open my eyes, finding it painfully hard. "Ashley," the voice repeats. It sounds like the person who's talking is relieved.

"She's waking up, hallelujah!" I hear a different voice exclaim. I slowly open my eyes, only to notice four eager faces staring down at me. I groan as I try to sit up in the bed. Wait bed? I'm out of the horrible dungeon and away from the atrocious creature. Thank Aslan! Wait Aslan...I freeze as all the previous events start to unravel themselves. The cell, the dungeon, the little, brown bat, Aslan...and now I'm in a hospital bed? This is queer. A soft hand rubs across my forehead then. I look up only to be met with the gorgeous, blue eyes of, who I guess is, my hero.

"Peter," I cough out. My voice is dry and croaky, not exactly what I had planned. I see a tear roll down his cheek after I speak causing me to wonder how long I was out cold for.

"Do you know how scared I've been; always wondering whether I'll ever be able to hear your voice again or see your eyes again or tell you how much I love you again?" he asks me, relief evident in his voice. I feel my eyes begin to water at his words. He really cares about me. I smile faintly.

"I do now," I say. He chuckles a bit before leaning a bit closer to me.

"How are you feeling?" he asks curiously. I have to think about it for a second.

"Sore," I manage to get out. He frowns and kisses my forehead gently before moving some of my hair out of my face. I grab his hand and lace my fingers with his.

"It's amazing. I've been in this country for a year and a bit now and you've already been in hospital twice with major injuries. It's as if you're a magnet to accidents and trouble, Ashley," Peter says while sitting down on a chair beside me and grabbing my hand in both of his. "By the way, that reminds me, I've booked a wedding planner, so you don't need to panic," he adds, in which I sigh with relief. He laughs and kisses the top of my head. "I knew you would be that way," he says, grinning down at me. I smile back and give him a gentle kiss on his warm and soft cheek.

"Ashley, who did this to you?" Malina suddenly asks angrily. I glance over to her and then looked into Peter's blue eyes for support. He looks even more angry than Malina. I settle for staring at the white bed sheets. This is going to be hard to say.

"You all know her. She's a witch and her name is...Starstone," I choke out before I feel tears slither down my hot cheeks. All these years I've looked up to her and now she's just turned her back on me and totally abused me. Everyone in the room gasps. Peter clutches at his sword and keeps his hand on the hilt, as does everyone else who has a sword with them. I groan and fall back onto the soft and comfy pillow. Peter's grip tightens on my hand a great deal, making me jerk and groan out in pain. He loosens his grip on me then and shoots me an apologetic smile. I smile back, forgiving him silently. He kisses my forehead and turns to the front of the room as soon as the door opens.

"Ah, Ashley. I see you're awake my dear. Good. You are able to go home already if you wish. These seven weeks have given you plenty of time to heal. Just be careful with your leg, it only just healed and we don't want you damaging it any further which is why the cast is still on, but you can still walk around with it on, so you should be fine," Doctor Hedrick tells me, beaming brightly and happily. I think he really enjoys this part of his job.

"Thank you for everything," I say, directing a smile in his general direction while getting up off the comfy bed. I look down and then notice that my left leg is still in a huge, white cast just like the doctor promised. Well that's convenient! Peter tries supporting all my weight on one shoulder before deciding that it's easier to just carry me. He swings me up gently into his arms before we start walking out of the hospital. "Peter," I say. He looks down at me carefully.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he whispers back.

"Um, if I've been in hospital for seven weeks does that mean our wedding is in three days?" I ask him curiously. He shakes his head.

"We postponed it. We weren't sure when you were going to wake up, so it's not for another month yet," he tells me with a slight grimace. I frown and of course he notices. I giggle as his fingers make their way to my rib cage before he begins tickling me. I full out am having a laughing attack within a few minutes.

"Peter! Stop please, I'm getting a stitch!" I exclaim in between the giggles. He stops abruptly.

"You are such a girl," he teases as we walk up the castle steps. I roll my eyes at him.

"Whatever," I say jokingly as he puts me down on one of the white sofas in the staff room. He smirks famously at me before pecking my lips with a kiss and walking towards the door. "Where are you going?" I ask worriedly. I don't want him to leave me here alone.

"Relax, Ash. I'm just getting Bella; I promised her that I would get her as soon as you were awake," he explains. My eyes grow wide with fear.

"Peter, no! Please take me upstairs with you. Don't leave me down here by myself," I beg as tears start trickling their way down my face in currents.

"Honey, what's wrong?" He's at my side in an instant, wiping away all the tears with his thumbs. He looks a little bit confused as I pretty much throw myself at him, not caring about my leg at all. "Shh, calm down. It's alright, love; I'm here," he whispers in my ear soothingly while softly smoothing down my hair. I calm down a considerable amount as he gently pushes me away from him. He wipes away the last of the tears as I sit up straight and calm down from my odd panic attack.

"Sorry, it's just; I'm scared of being left alone," I admit softly while looking down at my hands and playing with my fingers. He lifts my chin up so that I can look at him straight in the eyes. He smiles comfortingly and picks me up bridal style.

"Why?" he asks curiously. I bury my face into his chest as I speak. This is going to sound so stupid!

"Because I'm scared that if I'm alone Starstone is going to take me again," I murmur into his shirt. I hear him sigh before I feel us walking up the staircase to our bedrooms. Once we're up the top we go into my room where he places me gently on the heather bed.

"I'll be back in two seconds," he promises. I'm just about to interject when he cuts me off. "Starstone is not going to touch you again." I nod and place my head back onto the pillow. I hear the wooden door close with a thud. My heart suddenly accelerates a hundred miles as my mind wanders around all the possibilities of what can happen at any second. I'm being ridiculous. I don't need Peter to tell me that. I know that my mind is playing tricks on me when the dressing table in the corner of the room suddenly turns into a centaur holding a knife. I shake my head a few times to clear away the thoughts and turn towards the door expectantly. Hurry up, Peter! I think as I start to sweat. Is it just me or is this room starting to get really hot? I don't know where this sudden fear of being left alone came from. Am I starting to become paranoid? Starting? You reached paranoia around two hours ago! I almost jump out of my skin when I hear the creak of my bedroom door. My breathing picks up a considerable amount as a shadow appears in the doorway. A few lone tears role down my cheeks for the hundredth time today as a figure enters.

"Ashley, it's okay. It's just us. You're fine." I sigh in relief as Peter's comforting voice fills the room. He walks up to me slowly and I vaguely feel him wipe away the tears as I feel the other side of the bed dip. He smiles then which makes my suspicions grow. I spin around and am instantaneously tackled by Bella.

"Ashy, I thought you were dead!" she exclaims as she cuddles into my chest. My insides burst into a billion flames just as reality suddenly hits me. If I would've died then Bella would've been all alone. I am such a horrible sister! Bella silently cries with tears of happiness into my shirt. I stroke her hair as I think over everything that has happened in the past few months, well the things I can remember anyway. It seems like I wasn't really there for my little sister at all. That thought worries me. I'm the only family left for her and I'm pretty much ignoring her. I hold her even more tightly to me as I think about that. I really have to start protecting her more. "Ashy, am I allowed to come to your wedding?" she asks suddenly, causing me to frown in confusion.

"What do you mean 'are you allowed'? You're my little sister, Bella. Of course you're coming. You are also going to be a flower girl," I promise her. She looks up at me excitedly.

"Really?" she asks excitedly. I nod my head at her. Her smile is so wide that I think she's about to burst with happiness. "Yay! Yay! Yay!" she repeats over and over again in anticipation for the wedding. I knew that she'd love to be a flower girl for the day. She is such a five year old! I take a quick glance over to Peter who, I only just noticed, is holding my hand in his. He's smiling at me; obviously I have made the right decision about that much to my relief.

"Bella, why don't we leave Ash so that she can get some sleep," Peter suggests, glancing down casually at Bella. I feel her grip tighten on me. She shakes her head from side to side.

"No, I don't want to go! I just got her back!" she whines while getting underneath the sheets with me. I smile faintly. At least she doesn't hate me for ditching her for two months.

"Bella –" Peter begins, but I cut him off abruptly.

"Peter, honestly I don't mind if she wants to stay in here with me. I feel safer with her in here anyway. I don't think I will be able to get much sleep if I'm alone," I admit sheepishly. He nods and steals a quick glance down to Bella, ensuring that he doesn't linger there for any long periods of time, before looking back up to my face.

"I'll see you soon," he promises me. He gives me a quick kiss on the lips before walking out of the room and softly closing the door. I look down at Bella then who's smiling happily up at me; her dimples showing very clearly in the candlelight.

"What?" I ask. I know that little glint in her eyes; there's something that she's dying to tell me.

"I know a secret that you don't know," she says in a teasing voice before giggling and hiding her face underneath the sheets in true five year old fashion. I pull the sheet away from her to reveal her messy, giggling face. Her long, black hair is now a big mess on the top of her head. I try flattening it down to no avail. There will be tears later as I try to get through this.

"What's your secret, Bella?" I ask. She shakes her head and does the gesture of zipping her mouth shut and throwing away the key. I raise an eyebrow out of curiosity. "Can you at least tell me who told you the secret?" I inquire. She nods and unzips her mouth.

"Aslan," she states simply. I raise an eyebrow.

"Aslan told you a secret?" I ask curiously. She nods.

"Yep and he said that you and Peter would find out in a months' time," she explains. I smile and then suddenly get hit with reality. Peter and I are getting married in a month. Hmm, interesting. What could the secret be? Maybe it's just him turning up to the wedding or maybe he has a gift. I grin. A gift from Aslan? That will be one unique present!

"I guess I'll just have to wait then," I say. Bella nods and lays her head back down on my chest so that she's cuddling up to me.

"You will, but, Ashy, you need to sleep now," Bella commands in a sharp tone. I smile at my little sister's command and slowly close my eyes and lay my head back on the soft pillow.

"Sure. I love you," I say.

"I love you too," she says before I feel her get off me and lay down next me. I open my eyes and shoot a questioning glance at Bella. She points behind me. At that moment I feel two strong arms wrap securely around my waist. I know who it is and spin around so that I can cuddle into his chest. I feel him grin like a Cheshire cat as he plants a kiss on the top of my head.

"Get some sleep, beautiful," he whispers into my ear. I nod and yawn before closing my eyes and falling into a deep slumber. I know one thing for sure; this next month is going to fly by at the speed of light.


	15. The Wedding

One Month Later

"Ashley! Ashley! Ashley! Ashley! Ashley! Ashley! Ashley! Ashley!" I groan and flip over in my large, comfy bed. Why, oh, why does Lucy have to get so hypo every day? This has been my wake up call for the past week and I am starting to get very annoyed with the little, tiny, bouncing terror. "Come on! Get up, lazy bum! You're getting married in five hours," she exclaims excitedly while jumping on me. Luckily for me, my cast got taken off a week ago, which means that we didn't need to postpone the wedding again – thankfully. Especially since, starting tomorrow morning, I will be waking up in the arms of my beautiful husband instead of getting woken up by this annoying, little, cutie pie. "Come on, please get up!" she pleads innocently. I keep my eyes closed firmly.

"Exactly, Lucy, five hours! Now please let me sleep!" I complain. She huffs and gets off the bed. Thank Aslan!

"Ashley, time to get up!" Susan exclaims while running into my room and gently shaking me. I sigh and sit up slowly in my bed. "Yay, now we have to start getting you ready. Your hair has to be curled and put up. You have to get into your wedding dress and get your make-up done," she explains excitedly.

"Fine," I say, giving in. Both of the girls grab my hands and pull me out of the warm comfort of my bed. They throw my morning gown on me before they begin to drag me outside. I frown. Couldn't they at least wait until I'm fully awake before pulling me out into the cold hallway? They lead me down the corridor and into a spare room at the end of it.

"Now sit down and stay still," Susan commands me. I do as she says and they get to work immediately. I feel something extremely hot touch my head then and hiss at the pain. "Sorry," she apologises. I roll my eyes and spend the next few hours trying to ignore the pampering that I'm getting.

Four and a half hours later.

"Done!" Susan exclaims excitedly. I smile and stand up before I look at myself in the mirror. It's exactly how I imagined myself to look on my wedding day. I smile brightly.

My hair is down and curled into little bouncy curls. My dress is perfect! It's exactly what I had had in mind. It's plain white and has gorgeous lace sleeves. It has a white ribbon that curls around the waist and joins into a bow at the back. The bottom spreads out in true princess style. Along with the dress, I'm also wearing a diamond necklace with a matching bracelet. My make-up is lightly put on and matches my dress to a tee. For shoes I have silver flats with rows of diamonds on them. I have a simple diamond tiara on my head and a long white veil that flows down my back and along the floor with a little piece that falls in front of my face. All in all, I look nice.

"Come on, Ashley! It's time to go down," Lucy exclaims while grabbing my hand and starting to drag me out of the room like a little, puppy dog. I smile down at her. I can't believe that I'm getting married. She leads me down to a huge, golden door where I notice all my friends are standing in a line along the wall. They're all wearing light-blue dresses and linking arms with a boy. I see my little sister standing at the back of the line. She looks so adorable in her little, white, flower girl dress – as does Lucy for that matter.

"Ashley, here," Malina whispers while handing me a beautiful bouquet. It consists of blue, white, and silver flowers. It matches up with my dress perfectly.

"Thanks," I say nervously. The butterflies in my stomach are starting to do back flips. This is so crazy!

"Are you nervous?" Lucy asks me while looking up at me and tilting her little head. I take a quick glance down at her and look up immediately.

"Yes, I'm very nervous, but also very excited," I explain while staring at the double doors. It's so weird to think that the love of my life is waiting for me behind those doors. I feel an arm link with my left arm, startling me a bit. I look to my left and notice that Oreius is standing next to me. He's wearing a long-sleeved, tuxedo top.

"You look beautiful today, Ash," he whispers quietly into my ear. I blush scarlet. I wish he wouldn't tell me that two seconds before I have to walk down the aisle.

"Thanks," I whisper back. Bella spins around then and her mouth falls open.

"Wow, Ashy, you look pretty!" she exclaims. I laugh.

"Thank you, Bella, and you look very pretty as well," I tell her. She giggles before spinning around again. I hear the music start and one by one the pairs in front of me start walking through the open door way. I feel myself starting to shake with nerves, which definitely is not a good thing. I hear the soft music change which is obviously my cue to walk down the aisle. I take one deep breath in and start walking slowly. We turn the corner and I'm immediately overwhelmed. The courtyard is decorated beautifully. Roses and Carnations surround it. The colour theme is blue, white, and silver. I, at least, was told that. I look around at all the people and immediately feel even more nervous; that is until I lock my eyes with my soon to be husband. All nerves are suddenly thrown out the window.

It takes all my effort not to just run down the rest of the aisle and throw myself into his strong arms. It feels like centuries before I finally reach the end of the aisle. Oreius puts my hand into Peter's before backing away a little bit. I'm at home immediately. We turn to face each other, before Peter firmly grips my other hand. The priest starts to say something, but I don't hear what he's saying. I'm far too focused on the fact that I'm really here; getting married to this gorgeous man standing in front of me. He suddenly reaches up and pushes a loose curl that's on my face behind my ear. I smile.

"Peter, repeat after me," the priest says, pulling me back to the present. Pete smiles and nods once.

"I Peter,"

"I Peter,"

"Do solemnly swear to take Ashley as my lawful wedded wife,"

"Do solemnly swear to take Ashley as my lawful wedded wife,"

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poor, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live."

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poor, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live." I smile as he speaks and can't help the tears that come to my eyes at his words.

"Repeat after me, Ashley," the priest says, pulling me back to the most important moment of my entire life.

"I Ashley," he starts.

"I Ashley," I repeat my voice cracking. I clear my throat before nodding for him to continue. He smiles at me before continuing.

"Do solemnly swear to take Peter as my lawful wedded husband,"

"Do solemnly swear to take Peter as my lawful wedded husband," I repeat.

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poor, to love and to obey, as long as we both shall live."

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poor, to love and to obey, as long as we both shall live," I finish, tears rolling down my face. Peter wipes a few away with his thumb before tightening his grip on my hand. This is the best day of my life. If feels like hours before the priest speaks again.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." With those words, Edmund comes up to us with a cushion with two, white-gold rings on it. Peter grabs mine and slides it onto my ring finger. I slide his onto his bare, ring finger. We both smile as soon as that's done.

"Your Majesty, you may now kiss your bride," he says, gesturing towards me with his free hand. I grin when I hear him use 'Your Majesty' instead of just Peter. I suppose it's a sign of respect. Peter gently lifts my veil and throws it over my hair so that he's free to kiss me. I feel him gently place his lips on mine then. There are quite a few little children at our wedding, Bella being one of them, so we have to keep it short and sweet. I don't mind though – as long as we get to kiss, I am happy. We pull away after about twenty seconds and just look at each other. I know what has to happen now.

Peter grabs my hand again and leads me into a little spare room with Malina, Susan, Oreius, and Edmund following us. We slowly walk up to the table and I watch as Peter grabs the quill and elegantly starts signing in all the places that the priest tells him too. He hands me the quill once he's done so that I can sign too. Once all that's over and done with, he grabs my hand and pulls me out of the room so that we can walk down the aisle. As soon as we're out of the eye of the public and into the empty hallway, we kiss passionately. Never in my entire life did I think that I would end up marrying the High King, yet, here I am, kissing him with all my heart. He pulls away after a few minutes and puts his forehead on mine.

"So, we are officially married," he says smiling at me.

"Yes, we are, and I've never been happier," I answer honestly. He grins down at me for a second before pulling away and grabbing me around the waist.

"Now we have to greet wedding guests, then we have our reception and then tonight..." he trails off and starts kissing my neck gently. As soon as he starts kissing it though, the rest of the bridal party starts to file out of the room. I blush a deep shade of red as Edmund winks at me when he walks out with Malina. I roll my eyes at him and look down just as Bella slams into me.

"Congratulations, Sissy," she exclaims as she hugs me tightly around my legs. I smile down at her.

"Thank you, honey," I thank her while I grab her underneath her arms and pick her up. I hold her on my waist so that I can talk to her while still being able to look in her eyes.

"Is it true that Petey and you are going on holidays?" she inquires while tilting her head a tiny bit. I smirk.

"Yes, it is true," I answer her. She giggles just as something occurs to me. How does she know that we're going out on holidays? I didn't tell her anything, unless...I shoot an accusing glance at Peter who's totally oblivious to us. I will talk to him later about it; there's no point in starting an argument on the best day of our lives. I turn back to Bella then. She's staring at me intently. I vaguely wonder why. "How do you know we're going on holidays?" I ask her. She smirks before shutting her mouth and zipping it closed like she did last month. "Let me guess, it's part of the secret you were telling me about earlier isn't it?" I presume. She nods. I sigh and put her down carefully before suddenly getting tackled by all my crazy friends.

"Congratulations, Ash!" they all exclaim in unison. I smile at them and take a step away from Peter with some difficulty. I don't really want him to be knocked over by one of them. I find myself surrounded with family and friends as soon as I do though much to my excitement and dismay. Peter has managed to grab me around the waist again as we greet all the different guests. I'm over the word 'congratulations' by the end of it. Once they have all headed off to our reception, Peter spins me around so that I'm pressed up against him.

"Shall we go to our reception?" Peter asks while smiling sweetly at me. I giggle and nod my head at him.

"Okay then, but if I get tackled again when we get in there, I'll be blaming you," I agree. He laughs before grabbing my hand and pulling me down the beige hallway and to the Great Hall. We stop in front of the double doors so the guards can open them for us. As soon as they're open, we take a few steps forward until we're standing in the doorway. I gasp at the sight in front of me. It looks gorgeous. The walls are decorated with flowers and banners and the giant table in the middle of the room is full of food and drinks. There's one great big 'congratulations' as we slowly walk further into the hall. It's all so beautiful and overwhelming. "Do you like it?" Peter inquires. I turn to him with fresh tears in my eyes.

"Peter, it's ideal. I couldn't have imagined this day to be more perfect than what it already has been. Everyone's put so much effort into preparing everything for us. It's just so overwhelming!" I answer him as the tears escape their confines. He gives my hair a kiss and pulls me further in so that we can talk with our friends and family. There's a soft beat flowing throughout the room as we chat about the wedding. After a while, I hear the music change to something a lot slower. I feel Peter tap my shoulder a few times before I spin around to face him.

"Care to dance?" Peter asks while offering me his hand. I smile.

"It would be my honour, Your Majesty," I say teasingly as I curtsey. I hear him chuckle.

"No, Madam; it would be my honour to be able to dance with the most beautiful, elegant woman in this world," he corrects as he bows to me. I blush at his words while he grabs my hand and pulls me to where there are lots of guests dancing. They all stop as soon as we walk onto the dance floor and make their way to the outskirts of the hall to watch us. I put one hand on his shoulder and keep the other one intertwined with his hand as he wraps his spare arm around my waist. We start to waltz – well, sort of – to the soft music. "You know, Peter, this has been the best day of my entire life," I admit softly, smiling at him.

"I couldn't agree more. I love you," he says. I smile, my eyes watering again.

"I love you too." He leans down before capturing my lips in a long, sweet kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck and knot my hands into his hair. I don't realise how long we've been kissing for until I hear someone clear their throat from behind me, making me jump a little. Peter moves away from me and laughs when I start to pout.

"We can continue later, honey," he pretty much promises me. I sigh.

"Fine," I give in.

"Can I cut in?" I hear Edmund ask from behind me. Let's have some fun with this. I spin around with a straight face and look down at him.

"Sure, you can dance with your brother. That's fine," I say, keeping up with the charade. He looks so confused that it makes me crack up laughing.

"Yes, sure, ha, ha, ha. Very funny, Big Sister," he says sarcastically. I smile at him.

"Yes, you may dance with me," I say while grabbing his hand and putting my other one on his shoulder. I can't believe how tall Edmund has gotten in the past year and a bit that I've known him. It's sort of scary! I suppose he probably will be the same height as Peter when he turns eighteen. He puts his arm around my waist then, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"So, have you had a good day?" he asks conversationally. I smile down at him.

"Yes, I have. It's been the best day of my life," I answer while starting to drift off into a daydream. I suddenly catch myself before I do though. "Have you had a good day?" I ask, trying to be polite.

"It has been a good day for me, simply because I'm happy to see Peter so joyful and in love," I feel a tear come to my eye at that. Edmund doesn't seem to be the sensitive type, but when it comes to his family he gets really excited and happy to know that they're happy. "You know, you are the first girl that Peter has ever courted," he adds on. This shocks me a little bit. I would've thought that someone as attractive as Peter would've courted lots of girls.

"I'm honoured to hear that you know Edmund," I answer. He smiles.

"You are exactly what I had hoped for a sister-in-law, Ashley," he says. I'm about to reply when I feel a familiar tap on my shoulder.

"Would you like something to eat or drink, Mrs. Pevensie?" My fiancé, wait, I mean, husband asks me in my ear. I drift to the sound of my name new name. I definitely like the sound of that.

"Yes please, Mr. Pevensie," I answer him before spinning around so that I can hold his hand with mine.

"Excuse us, Ed. We are going to go and eat. Are you coming?" Peter asks politely. Edmund nods and leads Peter and I to our seats before sitting in his own. The food's beautiful. Everything that you can possibly imagine is here; different type of meats, salads, soups, fruits, and desserts. We eat for a while and cut the wedding cake in the process. After that Edmund reads out a speech that he has prepared that ends out with the entire company in tears from laughing so hard. By the end of the reception, I'm so worn out and tired that I just want to just clonk onto bed and fall asleep, but I don't care. There's nothing that can possibly destroy my mood. Peter walks me out of the hall slowly; I can tell by the look on his face that he's completely lost in thought.

"Are you okay?" I inquire as we reach the staircase. He shakes himself free of, what I guess is, an important idea before answering.

"I'm good; actually, no, forget that, I'm great. I'm just thinking about tonight. I want it to be perfect for you." I nod and instantly feel nervous. I have never been with a boy before in an intimate sense. I have a right to be nervous about this. He must sense my nerves for he's instantaneously drawing circles on my back. "Relax." That one simple word instantly calms all my nerves.

"Sure, I'm just –"

"Ashy," I hear Bella yell out before running speedily up to us. I spin around to look at her. She has a large grin planted on her face as she comes to a dead stop in front of us. She's simply bursting with excitement. She's bouncing up and down on the spot as Peter and I both stare at her like she's crazy. "Aslan is upstairs in your hallway waiting for you," she explains, her voice a tinkle of joy and excitement. I instantly wonder what Aslan has planned for us. "Come on," she urges as she pushes us both up the staircase. Once we reach the top of the castle, Peter grabs my hand and leads me into the candle lit hallway.

I look forward, expecting to see Aslan, but all I see is the white sofa we put in and the forbidden door. I let go of Peter's hand and raise an eyebrow. It's extremely quiet. I walk further in until I'm standing at the forbidden door. I'm about to take a peek inside it when I hear the glass door being opened. I spin around to see Bella taking Peter outside onto the balcony. I instantly follow after them. I want to see Aslan again. As soon as I get outside, my eyes light up and I run forward as fast as I can. In front of one of the stone railings, sitting on the ground, is the Magnificent Lion Aslan. As soon as I'm in front of him, I kneel down and bury my face into his thick mane.

"Oh, Aslan, I've missed you so much," I tell him. He smiles gently at me, once I'm looking at him again. Peter kneels down beside me then before he grabs my hand and absent-mindedly starts to draw circles on the palm of it with his thumb. It's silent for a few minutes, simply because neither Peter nor I have anything to say to him. Aslan breaks the silence first.

"Peter, Ashley, I want to give you my congratulations to start off with. I hope you both have had a magnificent day. Secondly, I would love to give you my gift. Stand up and follow me; you are both going to love this," he promises us, smiling, before standing up himself and walking back towards the door. We both follow him back into the hallway where we all make our way back over to the forbidden doorway. It's only just now that I realise that the "Do Not Enter" sign has been taken away and replaced with another sign; "Congratulations!" I smile brightly as I realise we finally get to discover the secret that has been hiding for years. "Peter, you, as Ashley's husband and the head of the household, may open the door," Aslan says. Peter lets go of my hand and leans forward, before he turns the golden handle and takes a step forward once he has pushed the door open. He freezes in the middle of the doorway as he stares ahead of him.

"Aslan, you have got to be joking around with us," he says amazed as he grabs my hand and drags me forward through the doorway. As soon as I'm standing next to him, I gape.

"Aslan, this is too much!" I exclaim in shock. I take a few steps forward into the room, trying to take in the new surroundings. "Why did you do this?" I inquire.

"Well I thought it would be appropriate to give you your own space now that you're married. I'm sure that both of you would like some privacy for the next few months," he explains. I think over what he said and instantly like his reasoning behind the great gesture.

"Well, thank you, Aslan. It's perfect for Ash and I," Peter thanks him before walking up to me and taking my hand in his. I smile at his gentle touch.

"That's quite alright, Peter. Why don't I show you both around?" Aslan suggests grinning. I nod as I take a quick glance around the room. The room is very light, no thanks to the east wall which is pretty much made up of a huge glass window which looks out towards the glistening Eastern Ocean. The walls are a light, cream colour that matches the colour of the sofa that sits in front of a welcoming-looking fireplace. There's a beautiful rug on the floor that is seated in front of the fireplace. The hard floor is made up of a dark wood which seems to illuminate the beautiful, cream, dining table that is placed in front of three long stairs. At the top of the stairs is a small light kitchen, something that we will most likely use quite often.

I glance over to the other side of the room. There are a few paintings hanging up on the wall, but mostly it's empty. I feel Peter tug on my hand before we follow Aslan to another golden door. Aslan doesn't need to ask Peter to open it this time, he just reaches his hand out and the door swings open freely. Inside is a bright, white hallway that has multiple doors leading off from it. We walk through it to the end where there's another large window placed that overlooks the waterfall and the Great River. In front of the window there's another golden door placed on the side wall. Aslan gestures towards the entrance with his paw and moves out of the way so that Peter can get us inside. Peter undoes the lock and opens it up before he gestures for me to take a step inside. I smile at the polite gesture before taking a step inside the room.

Inside is a huge bedroom; even bigger than Peter's old one. It's a very light room, due to the oversized window, with golden walls and a huge four-poster bed right in the middle of it. There's white draping that floats down to the ground surrounding the bed. The top of the bed is overflowing with gold and silver pillows. It looks very beautiful. I can tell from standing at the doorway that the draping is worth an absolute fortune. The room is absolutely covered in rose petals and pretty candles, just another reminder of what's to come. I smile as I look over to the opposite side of the room and notice that there is a beautiful painting hanging above a small, silver desk. I raise an eyebrow and let go of Peter's hand so that I can get a better look at it.

It's a painting of the beach with joyous dolphins gleefully surfing through the soft waves. There's a breathtaking sunset behind the view that consists of fiery reds, rose pinks, and bright oranges. There's something else in the picture that catches my eye though, something that causes a tear to escape and roll down my cheek. If you look in the bottom left corner of the painting closely, you can very clearly see a couple sitting on a log staring out at the view. I gasp.

"Aslan, what is this?" I ask him shocked. I hear his soft paws stroll up beside me as Peter's warm hand makes contact with my freezing cold one.

"That is a picture, Ashley. I thought you of all people would be able to see that," he replies. I can hear the smile in his voice as he says it though; just proof that he's teasing me. I groan out with impatience. Peter chuckles beside me. "Well, if you want me to be a little bit clearer, that is a picture of the evening when your husband proposed to you," he clarifies. I hear Peter take a sharp intake of breath as he notices the couple, us, as well.

"How?" I ask, amazed.

"There are some things in this world that can be explained clearly, this is not one of them though. In other terms, I have my ways." He chuckles at his own little joke as I just stand here shocked. "I thought it would be a wonderful reminder of that magical day," he adds on. I smile brightly.

"It's perfect, Aslan. I never expected you to give us our own private little house. Thank you so much!" I exclaim while kneeling down and hugging his mane. I stand up slowly once I'm done and instantly grab onto Peter's hand again. We follow Aslan out back into the hallway. I look out the window that is next to us then and instantly feel nervous again. It's night time and I know that as soon as Aslan leaves Peter and I will be all alone in our own little private corner of the castle for the night. My heart speeds up a great deal as I think over what's about to come. Peter lets go of my hand as he and Aslan start talking and walking back towards the main entry. It looks like they're having an important discussion so I hang back a little bit. As soon as they're at the other end of the hallway, I start walking.

I'm about to pass one of the other doors before curiosity gets the best of me. I stop in front of a white one and carefully open it to see what's inside. My jaw drops and I swear I almost faint! Inside is a solid gold bathroom. There's a silver and gold chamber pot in the corner of the room next to a gold sink. The other side has a large solid, silver and gold, spa bath. The walls are plain white which makes the gold stand out a great deal. That isn't what stands out though. What stands out are the hundreds of candles and rose-petals scattered around it. There is also some spiced wine with two diamond glasses sitting on one of the corners of the bath tub. My stomach does a flip. I quickly duck out of the bathroom and head for the next door which is very light yellow. I turn the handle and try opening the door, but it won't budge. I bang on it a bit harder, trying my best to be careful of my wedding dress. It doesn't move the tiniest inch. I look at the handle. There's no lock on the door. So why isn't it opening? I give up after a few more times and decide to ask Aslan later once he and my husband are finished talking. I look opposite that door and notice another one; this one's a light green. I quickly walk over to it and try opening this one too, but this one won't budge either. I walk over to a light purple one next and try that one, but to no avail. I groan out in frustration before stomping angrily out of the hallway to where my husband is.

"What's wrong, honey?" he asks as I stand in front of him wearing a frown on my face. I huff before answering him.

"There are three doors in that hallway that refuse to open. They don't even have locks on them and it's just plain annoying!" I hear Aslan chuckling behind me and suddenly blush bright red as I realise that they're still talking. I quickly spin around to apologise before I see the smile on his gentle, lion face.

"Those doors won't open, Ashley, they're locked with magic. In fact, now that we're talking about it, this entire apartment is filled with magic. You both will find plenty of cupboards and doors in here that won't open until the time is right, but fear not, one day you will find out what everything is and will know this house back to front," he explains. I grimace.

"But, Aslan, I'm not patient enough for this!" I complain. I feel Peter's hand touch my back then before he's gently stroking up and down. I relax into his touch while smiling in contentment. It feels nice and is very soothing. I feel all my back muscles loosen up instantly. I see Aslan smile at the small gesture before he turns around.

"Well I best be leaving. I'm sure you two would like some privacy for the rest of the night," he says. I nod weakly. The butterflies in my stomach start bouncing off the walls now. "I'll see you both tomorrow." I freeze.

"What do you mean you'll see us both tomorrow?" I ask panicked. What's going on that I don't know about?

"Aslan is taking us to our honeymoon destination. Honestly, not even I know where we're going," Peter whispers in my ear, before gently placing a kiss on my neck. I close my eyes in hope of calming my nerves.

"See you tomorrow," Aslan repeats before his presence suddenly vanishes. I know instantly when he's gone. The room suddenly heats up an awful lot. I open my eyes and watch Peter as he closes the door, before ensuring that it's locked. He then turns to me smiling gently, trying to calm my nerves. I smile shakily. I'm being ridiculous. I know that, but I can't really find any way to calm down my nerves. He walks slowly forwards and grabs onto my hand.

"Are you okay, Ash? We don't have to do any –"

"NO!" I cut him off sharply. He's instantly quiet. "I'm sorry Peter, I just really want tonight to be perfect and we are going to do this and I don't care how much it hurts," I tell him. He nods and leads me carefully to the bedroom. Once we're there, he picks me up and carries me over the bedroom threshold, much to my surprise. I giggle slightly before he puts me down and closes the door. I smile as soon as he comes back to me. It's silent for a few minutes. "Um, can you please help me out of my dress?" I whisper quietly.

"Sure," he answers softly. I spin around and he gently flips my loose hair out of the way so that he can reach the buttons that hold it together. I feel him pop open the top one before he works his way down. I blush red as the beautiful dress falls down to my feet. I look down at the floor, suddenly very shy. "Did I tell you today how beautiful you looked?" I nod my head at him, but blush. He comes around in front of me and gently kisses my lips. "Well you did," he tells me smiling. I smile back at him.

"Thanks and you did look very handsome," I state. He kisses me again only this time it's a little bit more passionate. I moan into his mouth as he deepens it. And then it begins and doesn't end until the early hours of the morning.


	16. Honeymoon

"Ashley," I vaguely hear a gentle voice say. I groan and roll over onto my side. I refuse to wake up. I feel way too tired to do anything. "Ash, time to get up," the voice urges. I sigh and slowly start to open my eyes. The first thing I see is my left hand with the white gold band on it. Yesterday quickly floods back to me. "Good Morning, Mrs. Pevensie," my gorgeous husband greets from behind me. I immediately drift at the sound of my new name being mentioned. I definitely like the sound of that. I feel his warm arms warp around my stomach and I instantly feel safe. He pulls me in close to his chest, my back to him, and kisses the hollow of my neck. If I can wake up every morning to this, I will be very happy. "How are you feeling after yesterday?" he asks after a long, comfortable silence. I unwind his arms from around me only to turn onto my other side and wrap my own arms around his neck.

"Fantastic! A little bit sore and tired, but still good," I reply, smiling at him. He smiles his famous smile back at me and kisses the tip of my nose. "When are we going?" I ask curiously as I take a glance out the window. The sunshine is beaming in through it which makes me guess that it's already quite late.

"Alright, I'm glad. I was afraid that you would be in a lot of pain today," he says before giving me a slow and deliberate kiss on my lips. All train of thought just vanishes annoyingly. Why does he do this to me? "Half an hour to answer your question," he answers after leaning away. What was my question again? Oh! That's right.

"Fine, I'll go and get ready," I state before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and jumping off the bed. I can feel him smiling at me as I stroll casually over to the door and unlock it before turning back to look at him. "I'll meet you down stairs." He's about to conduct a reply when I slam the bedroom door and wisp over to the bathroom. I hurriedly open the door and jump in before locking it so that no one can come in unexpectedly. I quickly turn on the tap to the bath and jump in once it's full. I rest against the side of the spa and stretch out my legs. I suddenly feel very relaxed. My mind begins to drift back to last night and I automatically sigh happily. We are going to have three weeks together with no one around. This is going to be great! After about twenty minutes, I jump out of the spa, only to feel myself starting to get worried. Why am I worrying? I dry myself off quickly and put on the beautiful dress that has been laid out for me; red, such a convenient colour for a honeymoon. I roughly brush through my brown hair until it's completely smoothed out. I put it into a bun in record time and skip out of our suite and down the stairs.

"Hi, Sissy! Did you like Aslan's present?" Bella asks me as I go into her bedroom to say hello.

"Yes, I loved it," I reply as I run over to her and scoop her up for a cuddle. She giggles as I start tickling her stomach. "So was that the secret that Aslan told you about?" I inquire, raising an eyebrow to add to the effect. She shakes her head.

"That was only part of it. The real surprise is coming soon," she tells me. I groan out in impatience, before placing Bella back on the floor.

"Are you coming down with me?" I ask her. She nods and quickly grabs my hand before she begins dragging me down the staircase.

"Good morning, Ashley. Are you ready for your honeymoon?" Malina asks as we arrive down on the first floor. I'm instantly swarmed with all my friends waiting silently in anticipation. I smile.

"Yes," I say simply.

"Does anyone even know what you do on a honeymoon?" Kabella asks with a curious frown. It's tradition in Narnia that you don't actually hear about...intimate situations...until a few days before your wedding. I almost had a heart attack when I found out about intercourse. Thinking about it now though, I don't know why I had freaked out so much. It's oddly fun and extremely pleasurable.

"Well...um...you," I stutter out. Seriously, how does she expect me to answer that? It's not like I'm going to go and explain anything and everything about my private life, or maybe that is what she expects me to do. I feel two hands on my shoulders suddenly, dragging me quickly out of my thoughts.

"Are you ready to go?" Peter whispers quietly into my ear. I nod my head and let go of Bella's little hand before turning around to face him.

"Yes."

"Good, then come along; the horse is waiting," he says winking at me in the process. I laugh. This is going to be great.

"See you all in three weeks," I say over my shoulder as Peter pulls me out of the room. Bella follows us as he leads me outside and, sure enough, there's his gorgeous, black horse waiting for us, as well as all of his siblings.

"Have fun," Edmund says suggestively as he walks up and pulls me into a bear hug. I blush. Well, it's going to be a little bit awkward when we come home I think. He might just tease us for the rest of our lives.

"Ignore him," Peter whispers in my ear as he walks past to give Lu a big hug. Edmund pulls away then, only to let Susan give me a hug.

"We are all going to miss you. I mean, seriously, three weeks! What if the castle burns down or something then what do we do?" She continues to ramble on as I pull away to go and stand by Peter. Bella jumps up into my arms then and peppers my face in little kisses.

"Stay safe, Ashy," she tells me happily before turning to look at Peter. Her face looks dead serious. "And you better look after her, Mister," she commands. I hold back a chuckle and put her back down on the floor. I kneel down to look at her in the eyes.

"We will, Bella. Don't worry; I'll see you in three weeks," I promise her. She nods.

"I'm going to miss you," she states, tears welling up in her little eyes.

"Oh, Bella!" I exclaim as I wrap my arms around her in a comforting hug. "I love you and I'll miss you as well." She smiles at me and pulls away.

"I love you too." I stand up then only for Peter to put his arm slowly around my waist and pull me quickly into his side. I sigh and put my head on his shoulder. I'm so content in this particular position that I almost cry when Peter pulls away and jumps up onto the horses back. He offers me his hand and I gracefully accept. Once I'm on, I wrap my arms securely around his stomach. I do not like being on the back of a horse. I feel really insecure, either though I know I'm perfectly safe.

"See you all in three weeks," I say before the horse starts trotting away through the town. Once we're out, we speed off like a fox through the misty forest. Hmm...Where's Aslan? He told us that he was going to lead us today, but I don't see him at all. There's nowhere out here where we could spend three weeks. Peter must sense my concern because the horse slows down at an extreme rate and he turns to face me.

"Are you okay?" he asks concerned. I nod my head. As soon as he speaks to me I feel my insides bubble up. Three weeks alone. Seriously, am I already in heaven?

"Yes, I was just curious as to where Aslan is? I thought he was going to take us to our honeymoon destination," I answer him. He smirks and gives my forehead a kiss.

"He's in front of us. I've been following him for the past ten minutes now, Ashley." My eyes widen. I look around, but, to my utter dismay, can't see him. I frown.

"I can't see Aslan anywhere." Peter smiles at me and points straight in front of the horse. I look to where he's pointing and sure enough the magnificent Lion is sitting patiently in a sunny opening, smiling at the two of us. I smile back at him widely. All concern suddenly vanishes.

"Are you ready to go again?" I nod my head and tighten my grip on him. We shoot off suddenly causing my stomach to fly up to my throat. It feels like hours before we actually slow down and eventually come to a stop. I look up and notice a huge hill, or should I say cliff face, in front of us.

"We're going up that," I ask shakily. Peter nods slowly. I gulp. There is a dirt path, but it's steep and narrow; not exactly the easiest thing to get up when you are on a horse.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe. Aslan wouldn't lead us up there if he knew we couldn't get up anyway. Just relax," he tells me before kissing the worry lines that are planted on my forehead. I nod and grimace at his reassurance. "Hold on tight," he says before he starts to push the horse up the steep incline. My grip tenses on Peter as I look over the edge. We are so close to it. It sort of gets me even more...scared? I look over Peter's shoulder and realise that Aslan is walking very slowly in front of us. That comforts me. He's the size of a horse so I suppose that we will be fine. After a few hours we finally reach the top of the mountain. We don't stop to have a look at the view though, we just keep going with Aslan still walking in front of us. We walk on a bit through massive rock faces. It feels like all we're going to see is rocks, well that is until we exit the rocky path and start walking along luscious, green grass.

I look around at the new surroundings in awe. It is beautiful. Everywhere you look there are flowers and bright green trees. There's a shimmering, bright-blue stream that zigzags its way through the luxurious forest. I look ahead and notice that there's a little, bright-blue pool that has a huge, shimmering waterfall dropping softly into it. The place is truly like a piece of heaven. The only sounds you can hear are the joyful birds in the trees above us and the soft drumming of the water as it falls down the waterfall. I can definitely get used to a place like this. I want to jump off the horse and run around and pick flowers and swim underneath the waterfall, but I know that this is not the time. It feels sort of formal as we trot along the stone and dirt pathway and up a gentle slope.

Aslan leads us deeper into the beautiful forest until we arrive at a meadow. I smile brightly when I notice the gorgeous cottage that's planted right in the middle of it. It looks a lot like something out of a fairy tale. It's very old and is made of large stones made out of the prettiest rock. There are vines that grow up the sides of it and circle around large square windows. The roof is thatched and it has beautiful gardens surrounding it; bright-red roses that shine in the light of the setting sun and sunflowers that grow up the plain sides of it. It's pretty much my dream home. I notice we have stopped, so I do the only appropriate thing; I jump off the horses back and run up to Aslan. I throw my arms around his neck and bury my face in his mane.

"Thank you Aslan. It's..." I can't finish my sentence; there is no word that can possibly describe this little piece of heaven.

"It's perfect," Peter finishes for me while jumping off the horse and kneeling down in front of Aslan. Perfect, doesn't even describe it. It is gorgeous!

"I'm glad you both like it. I personally made this little valley for you two. I knew you would get married and I knew that you would both like to have plenty of privacy. So I designed it according to how I knew you two would like it," Aslan explains while smiling and nodding. My eyes widen. That's another one of the images. "You are very observant, Ashley," he says smiling happily at me. It's like he just read my mind.

"What do they mean?" I ask curiously. I move in front of him so that I'm sitting cross-legged next to Peter. He grins.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," he answers. I grimace. I hate how he always uses that against me. "Anyway, apart from that matter, would you like to have a look inside?" he asks while standing up. I hadn't even noticed that he had been lying down.

"Yes!" Peter and I both answer at the same time. He chuckles and walks behind us towards the forest again. He lays half on the ground and blows one, steady breath. Suddenly there's a loud echoing noise. It sounds like something's moving. Peter and I both keep on the ground. The earth is shaking beneath us. I hear a loud bang before I feel a strong wind and then nothing. I look at Peter and notice that he's standing up. He offers me his hand and I accept quickly. As soon as I'm up, Aslan's between us, separating Peter and I.

"What did you do?" I ask inquisitively. Aslan smiles at me and then at Peter.

"I closed the cliff walls together so that you don't get any unwanted visitors popping in," he tells us. When Aslan says, 'privacy,' he means it. I smile. "Come along," he says while walking up to the front door of the house. We follow him up the stone path until we're standing behind him. "Peter, open the door please," Aslan commands politely. He does as Aslan asks and turns the golden doorknob. The door flies open to show a gorgeous, little, wooden hallway. There's a staircase, that must lead up to our bedroom, and a few other doorways in the hallway, but that's it. Aslan walks in as soon as the door is open and enters through another door on the left side.

I look at Peter and he gestures me in like a true gentlemen. I accept and enter the same room that Aslan did. It's a huge lounging area with an old, stone fireplace and a comfy looking sofa. I want to jump on it, pull out a book, and sit there reading in front of the fire. It's a very light room with three large windows surrounding it. The walls are a dark-cream colour and have lots of paintings on them. The floor is wooden and shiny and there is a large bookcase up against one on the walls. "Do you like it?" Aslan asks smiling at me. I nod my head slowly, wide-eyed. It's dazzling. I feel Peter's arms snake around my waist and I smile happily.

"Aslan, it's ideal. Thank you," Peter says. It's true. It isn't so big that Peter and I will feel lost, it's just the right size for the two of us for three weeks.

"I shall leave you now," Aslan says. I frown. "This is your honeymoon; I'm sure neither of you are going to want company besides each other," he explains to us. I have to admit it, it is true. I just want to be with Peter and only Peter. I like the fact that Aslan pretty much cut us off from the rest of the world for a few weeks. It just makes everything even more romantic. "See you both in three weeks. I will arrive at nine am on the last day. Have fun," Aslan adds on before exiting our little cottage. I smile. Alone at last! Who ever knew that Peter and I would get our own little valley for three weeks? Definitely not me! I turn to face y husband. He has a soft, gentle smile planted on his gorgeous face.

"What?" I inquire a little bit more softly than I would've liked. I love his genuine smile. That smile means that he wants to do something special and memorable for me that neither of us will ever forget. That smile brought me the best first date in the universe, the most romantic engagement, and the most unforgettable wedding day of my life.

"I just thought that it would be the perfect time to look around the house," he explains gently. His idea surprises me; it isn't as romantic as it usually is. I was expecting him to lift me up and place me on the couch so that we could cuddle up together in front of the fire, but no. He wants to look around the house; not that I mind at all of course.

"Um...sure; we can do that," I stutter out, unsure of what he has planned for us. He grabs my hand then and pulls me towards a golden archway in the wall. We walk through it to discover a cosy, little, dining room. There is a little, oak dining table in the middle of the room with four seats on each side of it. A beautiful bunch of red roses in a vase adorn the middle of the table that causes the entire room to smell sweet and delicious. The walls are a dark-cream colour with a wooden border running around the middle of it. There are a few, small windows scattered around the place, which overlook the little stream and green forest outside.

Attached to the dining room is a gorgeous kitchen that is pretty much all made up of wooden cupboards and white, granite counter tops. I let go of Peter's hand and wander into the kitchen. There are an awful lot of cupboards and draws, so I do the only appropriate thing; I tear open one of the cupboards and instantly feel weak in the knees. The cupboard I open is full of sparkling, white-gold plates and bowls that are probably worth a fortune. I close it and rip open the next one. Inside is six, sparkling, crystal wine glasses. They look very expensive. I shut the door carefully and stand back up from my crouching position.

"Are you alright?" Peter asks me, his voice ringing with concern. I nod in a daze. Why are we being spoilt like this? Because you're married to the High King you idiot! No, actually, it's because Aslan loves both you and Peter like his own children and so he wants to make both of you feel special. I roll my eyes at my inner argument and walk back over to Peter. I lace my hand with his carefully and sigh.

"I'm fine, but I am very curious to see what is up stairs," I hint while absent-mindedly playing with his fingers. I look up at his face and smile innocently. He smiles back and tugs on my hand while starting to walk out of the room.

"Why don't we have a look?" he agrees readily. I chuckle and quickly follow him back out into the main hallway. We walk up the stairs together before coming to another door. I yank on the handle, evidently tearing the happy door open, and pretty much drag Peter inside like a little, puppy dog. The bedroom is fairly small compared to the one back at the castle. It has a large, four-poster bed smack bang in the centre of it with a large glass window next to it. There is a glass door on the other side of the room that leads out to what looks like a pretty balcony and two other wooden doors that I guess lead into the closet and bathroom. The walls are a dark red and seem to fit in with the style of the cottage nicely. There's a small, stone fireplace in here as well on the wall opposite the bed. Peter wraps his arms around my waist then before placing a small loving kiss on my shoulder blade. "I have to show you something," he murmurs quietly into my ear.

"What do you want to show me?" I ask curiously. I feel him smile against my shoulder as he sneakily grabs hold of my hand again.

"The balcony," he whispers before leaning away from me and taking me over to the glass door. He opens it and gestures me through. I take a step out onto it and am momentarily shocked by the view we have from our darling, little cottage. The valley is gorgeous. The colours all seem so bright, especially as the sun starts to set behind the giant, rock faces. The reds, pinks, greens, and blues are a lot more pronounced here than they are back in Narnia (for I'm absolutely certain that we're no longer in, what is considered to be, Narnia). From up here the roaring stream is just a little squiggly line running through the green forest and the waterfall is just a slight streak of bright-blue falling off the rock face. The forest starts turning a dark shade of purple as the sun sinks low beyond the horizon.

Peter wraps one of his strong arms around my waist then and gently pulls me over to a small, wooden love seat that is planted along the old, stone wall. I cuddle into his chest as the bright, white stars start to emerge in the now black sky. I sigh happily before I feel a kiss on the back of my hand. "Are you cold?" he inquires as he strokes my back slowly. Now that he mentions it, I do feel awfully frosty. My arms and legs are both covered in a thick layer of goose bumps and I can feel my body starting to shake automatically. My teeth chatter then, patently answering his question. I feel airborne all of a sudden as he picks me up bridal style and carries me back into the warm lodge. The goose bumps subside almost instantaneously as we walk down the stairs and sit on the sofa together. The fire's warmth is extremely pleasant as I nestle deeper into Peter's shoulder. A peaceful silence follows as we sit huddled up together. I hear a rumble fill the room then and automatically look down towards my stomach, which is still happily grumbling away. I giggle quietly to myself before looking up at Peter's amused expression.

"Can we please have something to eat?" I request, suddenly starving to death. He chuckles and pushes me off him so that he can stand up.

"What would you like, love?" he asks me, while smiling gently. I think about it for a millisecond before deciding.

"Salmon with a side of salad?" I solicit. He nods and quickly leaves the room to go and make our dinner. Sudden butterflies flutter around in my stomach, causing me to feel nervous. Something is going to happen while we're away. I can feel it in the depths of my bones. I instantly feel scared for Bella and the rest of the Pevensies. What if Starstone comes back to hurt them? I contemplate that thought for a while before Peter comes back out carrying two, white-gold plates, both full of fish and salad. The butterflies and my worries all flutter out the door instantly. My tummy grumbles again as Peter hands me my plate. I thank him before instantly digging into the delicious meal.

If there's one thing that I have learned since Peter's arrival in Narnia, it's that he can cook the most pleasurable meals in such short periods of time. Everything he makes is always so delicious! I finish my dinner at the same time as Peter and grab his plate so that I can put them in the kitchen. Once I have done that, we walk up stairs together before quickly slipping into our pyjamas. I slide into the cold bed first and instantly regret it. The sheets against my satin covered body are absolutely freezing. I feel my skin burst out with goose bumps again as I start shivering. Peter notices instantly and pretty much leaps into bed and wraps his arms around my waist effectively before pulling me into him so that I'm lying on his chest. My shivering calms down an extreme amount as I notice how warm his body is. I curl up on his torso and wrap my arms around his back in an effort to steal away all his body heat. His grip on me tightens a tremendous amount as I do it effectively warming me to the bone. I take one of my hands away from his back then before inattentively drawing random patterns on his chest. My eyes grow wide as I only just notice that he doesn't have a shirt on.

"Why are you staring at my chest like that, Ashley?" he asks curiously. I look up at his face only to discover that he has raised an eyebrow and is staring down at me expectantly.

"Because I only just realised that you're shirtless," I answer him dreamily while dragging my finger nails in patterns along his chest lightly. He chuckles and quickly gives my lips a loving kiss before laying back and closing his eyes.

"Mmm...fair enough," he replies softly. His voice sounds awfully dreary though and it's only just now that I notice the large, black bags under his eyes. He looks extremely tired and I vaguely wonder if I look the same. Either though mentally I'm wide awake, physically I can feel my body drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Are you tired?" I question simply. He smiles weakly and nods.

"Ashley, we didn't get to sleep until four-thirty this morning and we've had a long day. I think we're both in need of a little bit of rest." I know he's right. I can feel my eyelids closing more and more every second. Everything's becoming a lot more dream like.

"Yes, I know," I whisper softly while planting a quick kiss on his chest. I hear him sigh, so I look back up at him.

"I love you," he says as he drags me up a little bit to give me a kiss on the lips. I smile against his lips.

"Hmm, I love you too," I hum against his lips. He chuckles a little bit and softly pulls away from me. I snuggle back into his chest as he pulls the covers fully over us and close my eyes, instantly letting sleep overcome me.


	17. News

The feeling of burning heat on my satin covered back is what wakes me up this morning, or is it afternoon, I can't really tell. I keep my eyes shut tightly and keep my breathing even. I don't want to disturb Peter in case he's still asleep. I snuggle in even closer to his warm chest and the grip that he has around me tightens a great deal. He's awake and he knows that I am as well, I can sense it. I feel his lips touch the top of my head and I smile at the simple, loving gesture.

"Good morning," I say tiredly. I just slept for I don't know how long and I'm still tired. How does that work?

"Good afternoon more like it. The sun is directly above us meaning that it's around twelve pm," he explains happily. I prop myself up on my elbow and look at his face. He smiles at me, but not his usual drop-dead smile. It's a tired looking one. I wonder how long he's been awake for. "How are you feeling?" he asks me, while pushing a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Perfect! I am absolutely and completely brilliant!" I exclaim happily, while falling back onto his muscular chest. He smiles down at me.

"I'm glad. So what would you like to do today?" I think about his question for a split second.

"Can we go and look around. This place looks so beautiful, I just want to relax and enjoy our time together. Please." He smiles gleefully at me and plays with the fingers on my hand.

"Alright then. Why don't we get up and have some lunch and then we can go out and do everything you want to," he recommends. I smile and give him a kiss on the lips, before jumping out of bed. He smiles at me lovingly and follows my lead.

"I don't think we should worry about a bath if we are going to be swimming in fresh water today," I say while walking over to the closet where all our clothes are.

"I think you are right," he agrees simply. He walks over to me and puts one arm around my waist and uses his other free hand to go through all the dresses that are in a line of colour order. He pulls out a light violet and white one and gives it to me. I have to admit, he has good taste. I smile and give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," I say as I slide out of my nighty and grab the undergarments that are needed for the outfit. I toss them on, before sliding into the long dress. I wonder if Aslan got dryads to make all these clothes for us. I've never seen any of these dresses before. I glance over at Peter and realise that he's already dressed and watching me with a smirk. I walk over to him casually and playfully push him onto the bed. He chuckles at me so I stick my tongue out at him.

"You are so immature," he says before grabbing my hand and pulling me down onto the bed with him. I giggle as I land on the soft mattress. He laughs along with me. I don't know how, but we end up on the ground in a long heated kiss, with him on top of me.

"Can we please have some lunch now?" I ask against his lips. He smiles and pulls away in a matter of seconds.

"Sure, what would you like, my angel?" he asks while getting up off the floor and pulling me up into his warm embrace.

"Um...apple pie," I say randomly. He looks at me curiously.

"You want apple pie for lunch?" he inquires with a raised eyebrow. I nod. "Well okay then my random, odd wife," he whispers so quietly that I almost don't hear it.

I think that was the point. I grimace but decide to disregard the thought. Peter shakes his head suddenly as if trying to dismantle a thought and pulls me down the stairs. Once we get to the light kitchen, he sits me down on one of the chairs at the dining table, before he walks over to the kitchen and gets out two plates and two forks. I unexpectedly hear two taps on the window behind me. I spin around quickly and...

"Ahh!" I scream while jumping so high that I fall off my chair. The griffon laughs at me as does my loving and caring husband. I glare at Peter as I quickly right myself and sit back down properly on the seat.

"Apple Pie delivery," the griffon says in between gasps after Peter has opened the window. The smell of the glorious pie immediately makes my stomach grumble causing me to chuckle.

"Thank you," I hear Peter say before I hear the window close. He's in front of me then, holding the pie in his hands. It looks delicious and the smell wafting off of it is incredible.

"Come on, Ash. Pies here," he says holding the yummy quiche near my face for me to smell. I am about to take a bite out of it when he pulls it away. I pout and all he does is – laugh. What a great husband I have! "We have to share," he states simply while cutting it down the middle. He puts both pieces on separate plates and pushes the biggest slice over to me. "Enjoy," he says with his mouth full. I mumble something unintelligible under my breath before taking the first bite. Today is going to be a long day. Once we have finished our breakfast, or should I say lunch, we wash up before heading outside. It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining happily in the bright, blue sky, the birds are singing their jolly songs and the beautiful stream is sparkling excitedly, but I can't seem to get rid of the feeling that is bubbling furiously inside me. For some odd reason, I feel the need to leave our paradise right now and go and kill someone. Peter must notice my distraction. He stops suddenly and turns to look at me. "What's wrong?" he inquires while brushing some of my loose hair away from my face. I grimace.

"I feel like something bad is going to happen while we're away," I tell him. He smiles comfortingly and pulls me into him for a gentle hug.

"Can you please relax? We're on a holiday. We can worry about the outside world when we're actually there to do something about it," he whispers quietly in my ear. I nod before pulling away from his tight grip and grabbing his hand. He smiles at me before we continue slowly through the light, airy forest.

3 weeks later

I stroll lazily into the cottage. All month we've been swimming, climbing, and walking around – among particular other things – so right now all I want to do is sleep. I fall onto the comfy sofa and snuggle up to a pillow. I feel Peter kiss my cheek and pick me up so that I'm curled up against his chest. I vaguely hear a door open and close before I feel myself being carefully placed down onto the bed. I beam as soon as I realise that Peter has lounged down next to me. I cuddle credulously into his chest as he puts his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to his warm body. I sigh and put my arms around his neck. We're headed home tomorrow, much to my joy and dismay. I can't wait to see my family again, but at the same time I love this place so much! It's so peaceful. It almost feels like a dream. I feel Peter kiss the top of my head then before yawning loudly. Obviously I'm not the only tired one.

"Do we have to go home?" I ask him after a long, comfortable silence. I feel him smile lightly against my head.

"Yes, unfortunately we do. I have a job to do and you have a crowning to attend to," he whispers in my ear. I smile brightly and lean up a little bit so that I can look at his face.

"You mean it?" I inquire, shocked. He chuckles a little bit.

"Yes, you're getting crowned when we get home. You married the High King don't forget," he confirms smiling. I squeal excitedly.

"This is going to be so incredible!" I exclaim, suddenly very eager to go back home. He laughs again.

"It will be fun, but it will also mean a lot of hard work. Are you sure you're ready for it?" he asks. I nod.

"Ruling is in my blood, Peter. My Great Grandparents used to be royalty, remember? I know I can do this!" I tell him earnestly.

"If you're sure, darling." He doesn't look convinced, but luckily doesn't push the subject any further, to which I'm thankful. I grimace before laying my head back down on his chest. I feel him move then and pull the sheets over our bodies. There's a long silence. I begin to wonder whether he has drifted off to sleep when I suddenly remember that I'm still in my long, green, day dress. I un-wrap Peter's arms from around me and quickly hop out of the bed. I walk over to the closet and grab my nighty that I (in other words Peter) had so carelessly tossed onto the floor this morning. I quickly strip off my dress and toss my silk, purple nighty on before walking back out into the warm bedroom and jumping back into bed. I lay down on my side facing Peter, who seems to be lost in thought. I stay quiet, knowing that if something's bothering him he will tell me. "Ash?" he asks after a few long minutes.

"Yes," I reply while playing with a few strands of his light brown – almost blond – hair. He smiles and put his hand over mine in a loving gesture.

"I was just thinking about something," he starts to say. I restrain the urge to roll my eyes at his obvious comment. He seems a little bit nervous, which is definitely out of character for him. I gesture with my free hand for him to continue. "How do you feel about having children?" he inquires curiously. My face instantly sinks.

"Why?" He smiles lightly.

"Because I was thinking that maybe we could try for a baby when we get back home," he explains. I feel my heart burst into a thousand flames as I take in his expression. He looks truly happy at the thought of becoming a father. Why me?

"Um, Peter, I have to tell you something," I say sadly. He nods. I freeze up. I can't seem to form any words as I look at his hopeful expression. This news is going to be hard to tell Peter. I was going to tell him earlier, but completely forgot. Something the doctor told me while I was alone in hospital for the second time. Something that makes me burst out crying even at the thought of it. Something that I know will be hard for Peter as well. Something that will be the first real test of our love for one another.

"Something..." Peter encourages. I can feel my eyes starting to well up with salty tears that sting my eyes. One manages to escape and trickle down my cheek. Peter wipes it away with his thumb. He smiles at me gently and grabs my hand. "You can tell me anything." I take a deep, shaky breath in.

"Peter, I can't have children." It's eerily quiet for what feels like hours. I feel more tears roll down my cheeks as I realise that this is just going to kill Pete. I cuddle up closer to him. Not out of hurt or sorrow, but in comfort. I know just from the silence that he's hurt by this news and I hate seeing him in so much pain. His grip tightens on me and I feel a tear fall on my head. He's crying and it's my entire fault. "I'm sorry," I whisper so quietly that I'm not even sure if he heard it.

"Why are you sorry? You can't help it," he tells me in a croaky voice. I grimace. I can tell just from his voice that he's trying to hold back more tears.

"I'm sorry because I'm taking this away from you," I explain with tears flowing freely down my face. He kisses the top of my head and sighs.

"Ashley, please stop blaming yourself! You can't control these things," he says. I shake my head slowly.

"I know, but...I know how important this is to you and I know how much you want to be a father and –"

"Ashley, stop." I shut my mouth at once and look up at him expectantly. His cheeks are stained with a few tears and his eyes are red, but he's still smiling weakly at me, much to my amazement. "Okay, yes I will admit that I'm a little bit upset that we can't have our own children, but that doesn't mean that we can't be parents. I'm sure there's plenty of little fauns and centaurs in Narnia that are in need of a loving and caring home," he tells me with a sly wink. I laugh a little bit at that as Peter wipes away the last of my tears from my cheeks with his thumb.

"So you still love me then?" I ask. He smiles brightly at me before giving me a slow, loving kiss.

"Of course I still love you. This is just a bump in the road. We'll get past it eventually," he promises in a soft, gentle tone. I nod.

"Sure." I yawn then, instantly grabbing Peter's attention.

"We should both get some sleep," he suggests. I frown and shake my head.

"I'm not tired." Liar! I roll my eyes and turn my attention back to the real world.

"You are. I'm your husband. I can tell," he states. I stare at him hard for a few seconds.

"I'm not though," I insist. His demeanour changes within two seconds of me saying the words. He raises an eyebrow, I bite my lip slightly. "This is our last night alone..." He smirks.

"You're going to regret you ever said that." I giggle uncontrollably before he starts kissing me passionately, all the pain from before gone like wind.

Next Day

"What on earth!" I exclaim as I wake up to find myself on the floor. How I got down here, I don't know. I hear chuckling from the top of the bed then. I blink a few times and stand up. My gorgeous husband is lying down casually on the bed grinning wickedly at me. "Did you push me off?" I ask suspiciously. He chuckles and shakes his head.

"No, Ashley, you actually rolled off the bed yourself. It was very funny to watch," he explains, chuckling again. I sigh and sit on the edge of the heather mattress. "Aslan said he would be here at nine, it is now eight so we have an hour before we have to leave." I frown at that. This place is so perfect, I never want to leave. He must read my expression because he's immediately at my side, drawing soothing circles on my back.

"Are you sure we can't stay another week?" I ask with no hope. He smiles at me and quickly gives me a kiss on my cheek. It's now that I notice how sticky my face is from crying last night. I will have to wash it in the stream later.

"Don't you want to go home and see Bella again?" he asks teasingly. I sigh and cuddle up to his side.

"Fine, you caught me," I say sadly. He laughs and gets up off the bed before quickly changing into some fresh attire. I follow suit swiftly. We head down stairs together hand-in-hand. "I'm not hungry," I state as we reach the kitchen. Peter furrows his eyebrows at me.

"You have to eat something," he says while grabbing an apple and taking a bite. I shake my head at him. He shrugs his shoulders and takes another bite of the red fruit. "Well okay, but you don't know what you are missing," he says, teasing me again. I roll my eyes at his failed attempt to taunt me.

"Whatever. I'm not hungry right now. I'll eat tonight at Cair Paravel when I am hungry," I promise. He grins at me and finishes his apple. A few minutes later we're sitting down in front of the fireplace cuddled up in each other's arms when we hear the soft sound of paws behind us. I turn in Peter's arms to see Aslan standing behind us. I sigh and stand up.

"Are you ready to head back?" Aslan asks, smiling happily at us. I take a deep breath and answer him.

"Yes, we are." Aslan nods his head slowly once before turning around and heading out. I follow him out with Peter hot on my tracks. I hear him walk a bit quicker and then I feel his warm hand in mine. I hold it tightly, never wanting to let go. As soon as we're out of the front door, the first thing I notice is that a unicorn is set up instead of a horse. The coat on her is a beautiful, snowy white and her horn is a bright, clear, water-blue.

"I figured that you would probably want to get home quickly and, seeing that unicorns are a lot faster than horses, I decided to set one up for you," Aslan explains, obviously seeing the confusion on my face.

"Thanks, Aslan," Peter says as he jumps up onto its back.

"Humph, careful! I'm not some pony from a merry-go-round," the unicorn speaks up. How weird, you don't usually see talking unicorns anymore.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," Peter says, patting its, or should I say her, back. He then looks over to me with love filled eyes and gestures me over. I smile and walk quickly over to the unicorn. Peter holds his hand out to help me up. I grab it and carefully get up onto her back. "Are you alright?" he asks me, once I'm securely on.

"Yep," I answer him, popping the 'p'. I put my arms around him and hold on for dear life. I have been on a unicorn once in my life before and it was the scariest thing that I have ever done.

"What's your name?" Peter asks the unicorn as we start to trot through the bright, green forest behind Aslan. I see her give a horsey grin before answering my attractive husband.

"Jaerlwery Aginads Dainteret Ellearety," she tells us both. There is a long silence. I have completely forgotten how long unicorn's names are. It usually takes you forever to be able to actually remember them, let alone pronounce them properly.

"Do you expect us to call you that every time we talk to you, Jarlwn Ainhlis Dinn, oh forget it?!" Peter exclaims. I laugh as he tries to pronounce the name, as does the unicorn. I might not know it myself, but I do know that what he said was completely wrong. We're trotting freely through the large, rock faces now. We can see the massive horizon of our beautiful home country stretched right out in front of us. I sigh at the beautiful country. Now for the scary part! We trot down the steep cliff side slowly and carefully. It helps that the unicorn is a talking one. They seem to have a lot more sense than dumb animals. They can direct themselves without anyone helping them and they have a sense of speed, which means that we're going very slowly down it. It surprisingly takes us less time to get down than it did to go up though, even with the speed we're going at. Once we reach the bottom, we have a break. I suppose it's just to clear our heads for a bit.

I walk over to the pool that's close by and wet my face, taking off all the tear marks that had stained it last night. I look up at the sparkling waterfall that's pouring over the side of the cliff, suddenly trying to work out in my head exactly where we are. I try to remember all the places that have waterfalls so that I can get a vague idea. Let's see there's one at Mt. Pire, another one at Stormness Head, the one that connects up to the River Shribble, another one that connects up to Telmar River, one next to Shuddering wood and one at Caldron Pool. I look around at the surrounding forest and the beautiful, blue pool of water in front of me before my eyes widen. We can't possibly be at Caldron Pool. There is no path that leads up the side of the mountain next to the waterfall. I look over to where we have just come down and realise that the path we have just come down has completely disappeared and is replaced with large boulders. It's as if the rocky path was never there. Peter comes over to me then and wraps his hands around my waist and purposely starts to kiss my neck. I moan. His lips on my neck are like heaven. If I get to choose my way of dying this will be it. "What are you thinking about?" he asks in between kisses. I wish I can tell him what I'm thinking, but at the moment I can't even form a coherent sentence in my head.

"Um...well...I...would you please cut that out!" I snap. He stops instantaneously. I have to think without him kissing me. "I was just trying to work out where we are," I say softly as I turn around and wrap my hands around his neck.

"Any luck with that?" he asks. He sounds hurt and rejected. I instantly feel guilty about snapping at him. He's just trying to be nice.

"I'm sorry, Peter, about yelling at you like that. I just have to think and your kisses aren't helping at all," I apologise. He smiles down at me and gives me a short and sweet kiss on my lips. "Also to answer your question, I think we are at Caldron Pool," I continue. I lay my head underneath Peter's chin. We stand there just hugging for a second.

"Ashley." I jump at the gentle voice behind me. I didn't even hear Aslan come up to us. "You are right. This is Caldron Pool." I smile at my lucky guess. "Are you ready to keep going before the High King gets swarmed with attention from the children that are coming up here for a swim?" he asks. Peter looks down at me for a second before letting go of me and running up to where Jeamilt Amaewsd, (Oh Pete's right; that is a mouthful.), the unicorn, is standing and flings himself up onto her back. I grimace and run up as well. Peter picks me up by my shoulders and puts me in front of him. Obviously he feels it's safer to have me sit where he can see me and hold me in his arms. I can't say that I'm complaining. We start moving immediately.

"I just realised that I forgot to give you my nick name," the unicorn starts. I feel Peter tense up for a second.

"You have a nickname?" he asks through gritted teeth. I stifle a laugh.

"Yes. You can also call me Jade," she says. I smile. I've always loved unicorn's basic nick names. Peter starts mumbling unintelligible words under his breath.

"Thanks for letting us know," I thank her while giving her back a pat.

"That's alright. Now, hold on tight," she says before she speeds off at the speed of light. I swear I just lost my stomach. We ride on for about one hour before we finally reach the golden gates. That's got to be some sort of record. We pass through the gates and ride through the busy town, where we receive "welcome home"'s from everyone around us. We finally reach the stable and Peter jumps off to help me down.

"PETER, ASHLEY!" I hear a little high-pitched voice shout out. I turn around and am suddenly attacked by a very-excited, little Lucy. "I'm so glad you're back. I really missed you. Don't you ever leave me with Edmund again! He got Susan drunk and built a ride out of an ironing board that smashed into your room and...and oh I'll tell you all the stories later!" she tells us both. I smile and kiss her hair. I decide to ignore the last few lines and just focus on the gorgeous little girl in front of me.

"We missed you too," I say. She looks up at me and beams brightly. She gives me another quick hug and then goes and gives Peter one. "Lucy, where's Bella? I've really missed her. I've never been away from her for this long," I say once she's done with all the hugs. Lucy's face sinks before she suddenly disappears inside. A second later Malina comes out. She walks up to us slowly and instead of giving me a hug like she usually does, she puts her head down. "Mal, are you okay?" I ask her. She shakes her head and looks at me.

"No, I'm not, but, before I tell you why, you're both going to need to sit down," she commands. I nod and pull Peter over to one of the benches in one of the many gardens of the castle. My mind is instantly running with ideas. Is she sick? Has one of her family members died? Is she pregnant?

"What's going on?" I inquire as Peter begins drawing love hearts on my back. She takes a shaky breath in before continuing.

"Um...well...Ashley...Bella died."


	18. Unexpected

Everything around me suddenly goes quiet, or so it feels like it anyway. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I feel my entire body starting to shake with grief as my eyes start to well up with tears. Bella died? She can't have. There must be a mistake!

"What? Mal, what happened?" I whisper so softly that I'm not even sure if she hears it. Tears are flowing freely down my cheeks now, landing on my lap with small splashes.

"I'm so sorry, Ashley! I'll explain what happened later, but right now I think it would be best for you to lie down," I scarcely hear Malina suggest while Peter picks me up bridal style and carries me inside. I barely register the time when he places me down on our bed upstairs before lying down next to me and softly stroking the hair away from my face.

"I knew I should've left as soon as I had that gut feeling! I'm such an idiot! My little sister just got tortured and killed while I sat down on my bottom and did nothing! It's my entire fault for leaving and not protecting her! Why am I such a big idiot?!" I exclaim without taking a breath before breaking back down into continuous sobs and tears. My husband seems a little taken aback by my sudden outburst before he starts re-assuring me and promising to hunt down the culprit and kill them as soon as possible. The tears don't stop, but I suddenly feel a lot better as I think about the offender getting their head chopped off. I hear the door open then before Malina's sitting on the edge of the bed, her goat legs dangling off the high mattress.

"Would you like me to tell you what happened?" she asks gently and timidly, as if those few words can be the cause of her death. I sit up slowly against the headboard and nod for her to continue once Peter has me encircled in his arms. She takes a deep breath in before starting.

"It was a few days after you two had left; Bella and Lucy were playing with Bella's dolls in her bedroom. Lucy had left Bella alone for a few minutes to get a snack for the two of them, but, when she got back, she couldn't find Bella anywhere. She asked the guards outside the room, but they told her that no one had gone in or come out besides her. We all tore the castle apart looking for her, but found nothing; no evidence to tell us where she was, no note, no body, nothing. The guards went into the forest and went to see if Starstone had kidnapped her and taken her to the dungeon again, but no one was there. A few weeks passed with no signs of her anywhere – until a few days ago. They found her body lying on the rivers bed. She was dead. I'm so sorry, Ashley! I wish we could've found her in time," she explains sadly, her voice hoarse from crying. I nod weakly as I wipe the tears away from my cheeks before leaning my head on Peter's shoulder and burrowing my head into the crook of his neck. I have no reply for her. My mind is blank. Peter's arms wrap automatically around my waist, holding me close to him, as I feel my eyes water some more.

The next week passes by in a depressing blur. I spend every day curled up in a warm ball under the cotton covers of our bed, only ever getting up when I needed to use the bathroom or eat. Peter has court meetings to attend to, so I've been alone most of the time, wrapped up in a bubble of my own grief. My friends occasionally come and say hello and try to cheer me up with funny jokes, but they never stay with me for long in fear of getting caught and fired for not working. Susan, Lucy, and Edmund all keep their respected distances. Peter had told them when they came to visit me the day we got home to leave me alone so that I can get over Bella's death in peace. The following Wednesday we have a funeral. To say it's one of the worst days of my life would be an understatement. I can't stop crying the entire day. Peter ends out having to read my speech for me because I'm so choked up. That night I fall asleep quickly.

The morning after the funeral I'm awoken by the feeling of my head spinning around in dizzying circles. I sit up quickly and suddenly feel a giant headache come out of nowhere. My head feels as if it's about to burst at any second. The faint sound of a dripping tap isn't helping anything either. I lay my head back down onto the pillow in hope that it might go away. It does at once. I vaguely hear the door open as I lay there, trying to figure out why I have a steaming headache all of a sudden.

"Room service or should I say breakfast in bed," Malina chimes as she walks in happily. I look up at her and notice her carrying a large tray of food and drinks. It's pretty much sausages, eggs, and bacon with some fruit and fresh juice. I sit back up again slowly, trying my best not to think about the pain in my head.

"Thanks, Mal," I whisper as she places the wooden tray in front of me. Maybe some food might make me feel better.

"No problem. It was actually your husband's idea though. He said that you didn't eat at all yesterday morning and for dinner you only had a pear. What are you trying to do, Ash; starve yourself to death?" Her question catches me by surprise. I have to think for about three minutes before actually answering her.

"I just haven't been very hungry," I state simply. She frowns at me.

"Ashley, I know you've been upset over Bella's death, but there's nothing we can do about. She's dead! We can't bring her back to life and starving yourself isn't going to help anyone," she argues while pushing the food closer to me. I sigh in defeat and pick up a fork before taking a piece of sausage and placing it in my mouth. I take one bite into the beef before spitting it back out onto the plate. The fat in the sausage is starting to make my stomach swirl in nauseating circles. I suddenly can't even stand the smell of the food in front of me. I push it away quickly and lay back down before closing my eyes. "Are you feeling alright, Ash?" Mal inquires worriedly. I open my eyes and nod.

"Yes, I'm just feeling a little sick," I tell her. She smiles weakly before running out of the room and coming back in with a large glass of water.

"This might help," she says. I smile and scull it all down. Hmm, that's nice water!

"Thanks," I say before jumping up out of bed and giving her a hug. Malina pulls away suddenly, holds her nose, and pretends to die. "Do I really smell that bad?" I ask surprised. She stands back up and smiles sweetly.

"Let's put it this way, I suddenly know why Peter has been sleeping downstairs for the past few days," she replies with a gesture of her hand towards the bathroom. I grimace before grabbing a dress and undergarments before walking over to the bathroom and taking the warm bath to clean myself off. I get dressed once I'm done with my bath, into a light-blue dress, and head down stairs. Once I'm down stairs I head straight to the Great Hall. I open the double doors and am immediately covered in warm sunlight. I sigh lightly before looking up at the four thrones expectantly. Sure enough my entire family are sitting on their individual thrones. "Good morning," I exclaim happily. The entire room goes silent at once and looks at me. Shock and surprise are the main expressions on the creature's faces as I walk up to my husband's throne.

"Good morning to you too," he answers; looking a little surprised himself that I'm down here and not upstairs bawling my eyes out. I smile before I give him a short kiss and turn around so that I can sit on his lap. His muscled arms wrap around my waist immediately. "I'm glad you're back," he murmurs while placing a loving kiss on my shoulder and then on my neck. I smile.

"I'm happy to be back. Malina's right, I have to move on. Bella died, there's nothing I can do about it now," I explain. He looks relieved as I tell him this, making me suspect that he was starting to get worried about me. Secretly, I actually think it's sweet that he was worried over me, but I don't dare say that out loud. "Did you get the breakfast I sent up for you?" he asks curiously once his surprise wears off. I nod.

"Yes I did, but I couldn't eat any of it. The smell of the food was making me a little queasy in the stomach," I explain. He frowns in disapproval.

"Ashley, you've lost at least five kilograms since we got back. It's not healthy. You need to get some food into your system," he argues. I shake my head.

"I'm not hungry though."

"I don't care whether you're hungry or not, you need to eat something. If you're feeling nauseous after smelling beef sausages then eat some fruit instead. Just please, for my sake, eat something." I frown.

"Fine then. I'll go and get some fruit once I'm done in here." I look around the room then, frowning. "What are you talking about?" I ask curiously, as I take in all the faces of the guards and public who are in the room.

"Starstone. She got sighted last night holding a very long, sharp, and bloodied knife. We have guessed that she stabbed Bella to death after torturing her, we can't be sure though as we don't have any actual evidence. We had some doctors' look over Bella's body while you were upstairs and there were obvious lacerations to her. It also looked like she had broken both arms and legs which is why we assume that it was torture and not some freak accident. This whole scenario does make sense after the few incidents that you've had which is why we're expecting that it's Starstone's doing. We are worried though that she might want to kill you next," he explains. There's something in his tone of voice that I do not understand. It sounds like he's...scared? He must read my facial expression for he slowly adds, "Don't worry I won't let anything happen to you. I couldn't live with myself if I ever lost you." The assurance in his tone makes me smile. I know he'll protect me from her, that doesn't mean that Starstone won't try getting to me next though.

I sink further into Peter's chest as one of the guards start to say something. I grit my teeth together as the headache comes back suddenly and I start feeling woozy in the stomach again. I think about what I have eaten lately, which is very minimal. There's nothing that would make me sick. I only ate a pear yesterday and today I haven't eaten at all. I think about the out-of-the-blue headache I have gotten twice. I've drunken plenty of water. There's no need for me to have a headache. "Ashley, honey, are you feeling okay? You look a little green," Peter asks worriedly. I feel my head start spinning as the contents of my small dinner last night starts making its way up my body.

"Excuse me," I choke out as I jump off Peter and run to the closest bathroom, which is in the hallway outside the Hall. I slam the bathroom door closed and start to throw up in the chamber pot. Why am I sick? I haven't eaten anything that would make me sick. I suddenly get hit with the most logical reason of all. I can't be. I wipe my mouth off with a cloth and run speedily outside into the town. I can't be! I can't be! I chant in my head as I head straight to the hospital. "Hi, Solivia, I need to see Doctor Hedrick immediately," I exclaim swiftly. She checks her notebook quickly and looks back up to me.

"Sure," she agrees readily after a few minutes. "Doctor Hedrick, I have Mrs. Pevensie here to see you," she tells a messenger bird. The bird nods. It flies out of the reception room and comes back a few minutes later holding a small, blue note. "Alright, Ashley, Doctor Hedrick will be out in a second. Would you like to take a seat?" she offers as she gestures to one of the few, black seats that surround the room. I nod and sit down. My headache comes back again and I instantly feel myself starting to black out. Just then the doctor walks in. He smiles when he notices me and gestures me into the small hallway that leads into the check-up rooms. I grimace and follow him into a plain, white room that's covered with charts and medical equipment. There's also an uncomfortable looking white bed in the middle of the room.

"Would you like to take a seat on the bed for me?" he asks. I nod and carefully sit on the edge of the bed while trying my best not to think about the awful taste of vomit in my mouth. "How can I be of service, Ashley?" he inquires, smiling. I take a deep breath in and begin.

"I just came to get a check up done. I've been getting a lot of headaches this morning and I've been extremely tired and not very hungry. I also had morning sickness so I just came to make sure that I didn't catch a disease or something," I explain as he writes the symptoms down in on a parchment with a quill. He nods his head as he reads each of them over again and then gets out a little dictionary. He reads something and frowns. He then looks back at the notebook and then to me then back to the dictionary. It goes on like this for about five minutes before he finally stops at me.

"Tell me, Ashley, when did you last eat something healthy?" he asks. I don't really need to think about that question.

"Yesterday evening," I state. He checks his note book again.

"Have you been drinking water?" he asks curiously.

"Yes, I have drunk a whole glass of water this morning," I tell him. He suddenly checks the dictionary for the hundredth time. I'm starting to get sick of his sudden movements. "Ashley, can you lay down for me? Nothing to worry about, it's just so that I can quickly have a check up done on you," he asks. I nod and lay down on the uncomfortable bed. After about an hour or so of blood tests and stomach measurements, I'm finally allowed to sit up. I jump up off the bed eagerly and sit down on a comfy chair that's in front of a desk. The doctor comes back into the room, wearing a huge smile. I feel my insides churn in worry as I lean on the maple desk in front of me. The doctor sits down on the chair behind the desk before he writes my name down on a small piece of paper and starts writing different symptoms and results. I should've learnt how to read writing that's written upside down!

"Have I come down with a disease?" I blurt out before I can even think. The doctor laughs a booming noise and shakes his head.

"No, Ashley, you have not come down with a disease," he promises me. I sigh with relief. "But there is something I have to te-" he starts to say, but gets cut off abruptly.

"Are you okay? I heard you came straight here after throwing up. Are you very sick? Have you got cancer? Are you going to die?" Peter rambles on panicky.

"No, I'm fine, but the doctor was just going to tell me something before you rudely interrupted," I say as I watched him pull out a chair and sit down next to me. He puts his arm around me and starts to draw soothing circles on my back. I turn my attention back to the doctor and nod for him to continue.

"Congratulations, Ashley! You are pregnant!" My jaw falls to the ground and my eyes go wide. I turn to Peter and notice that he's wearing the same expression as me.

"I'm pregnant!" I exclaim in shock. The doctor nods looking guilty. "But you told me-" He cuts me off with his hand.

"Yes, it seems I accidentally mixed up your results with someone else's when I told you. I apologise if I made things complicated for you and Your Majesty for any amount of time," he apologises professionally. My face of shock changes to a face of utter joy. I'm going to have a baby. I feel happy tears starting to well up in my eyes. The one thing that I thought was never going to be possible is now happening.

"You may leave now, if you wish," the doctor says slowly after a very long silence. I feel Peters arm leave my back at the same time I hear his chair move out. I grab the hand that's now sitting on my shoulder and stand up myself.

"Thank you, Doctor Hedrick," I manage to choke out. He smiles at me and Peter before standing up himself.

"Not to worry, I will need you to have a check up in about a month though, just to make sure that the baby is going okay," he says. I nod before heading out the door hand-in-hand with Peter. I feel a tear escape my eye and roll down my cheek. I wipe it away secretly as we exit the hospital. We walk out into the fresh air and through the busy town. I can't help but start worrying about Peter. He hasn't said a word since the news came out. I wonder if he's in shock. That single thought makes me anxious. I have no idea how to get people out of a state of shock. Maybe some ice cold water will do the trick? We reach the castle stairs slowly because of Peter's state. I don't mind though; it gives me plenty of time to let the news sink in. Once we're inside I look over to Peter. He's smiling so much that I think he's going to crack his jaw. I grab his hand before dragging him quickly up the marble staircase. Once we're at the top of the staircase, I lead him into our bedroom. I close the door quickly and am instantaneously picked up and spun around. Peter and I laugh together joyfully. He puts me down after a few spins and pulls me into a tight embrace.

"I'm guessing you're not in shock anymore," I whisper. He smiles and kisses the top of my head.

"Your guess would be correct," he answers me. I sigh and move one of my hands automatically to my stomach. "I have a question though, pregnancies in Narnia, are they the same as the one's in my world. I mean do they last for nine months or is it different?" he asks, his gorgeous voice full of curiosity.

"It takes nine months in your world as well? Well that's good to know. I was worried that it would be different," I explain with a shrug. He smiles at that and pulls away to hold my hands.

"Oh well I'm glad it's the same. It would've been too confusing otherwise," he says. I look up at his face and smile when he's grinning down at my stomach. I'm so glad I'm pregnant. At least Peter's not upset anymore. Thank Aslan for that!

"Yes, it would've been," I laugh out after a minute. He smiles at me happily and leans down towards me slowly. I meet him half-way. I sigh into his mouth as soon as our lips meet. The kiss is slow and passionate, the type of kiss that screams out joy and happiness. I chuckle against him when he starts to pull me closer to him. He is always so eager. I lean away after a few minutes and give him one last peck on his luscious, warm lips before going and sitting in front of the open fire. I know he's smiling at me; I can feel the projectile of it on my back. Pete comes up and places himself down next to me. I feel his warm arm wrap around my back and pull me closer. I lay my head on his shoulder and cuddle up into his side.

"So I'm guessing that you are going to want to start shopping immediately for the little bub?" he guesses. I nod and lay down so that my head is on his lap. He lightly pushes a strand of hair out of my face before I hear the door open. I glance up only to see goat hooves of, who I guess is, Malina.

"Are you alright, Ash?" she asks as she sits down next to Peter. I sit back up and smile brightly at her.

"Yes, I'm good. Can I please talk to you outside for a second though?" I inquire. She nods and stands up before heading back out into the hallway. "I'll be two seconds. I just want to tell her about the baby so that someone at least knows and can cater to my every need," I explain to Peter in a teasing voice. He laughs and makes a large gesture towards the door.

"Go." I smile and give his cheek a kiss before standing up and running outside. Mal is standing outside our bedroom waiting patiently for me as I come out. She smirks at me. I suddenly don't trust Malina one bit.

"I need to tell you something," I say as I grab her hand and pull her over to the lounge in the lounging area of my apartment.

"Alright, go ahead. What do you need to talk to me about?" she poses as she falls down onto the seat before grabbing an apple from the fruit basket sitting on the small, coffee table. She takes a large bite out of it before looking at me and patting the seat next to her. I smile and sit down before hesitating for a second. Can I really tell her that I'm going to have a baby? I'm not sure whether I can even get the words out. It still feels so surreal that I'm carrying a brand new life inside me.

"Um...well...I have some...um...news," I stutter out unhelpfully. I groan inwardly at my stuttering. Who knew it's this hard to tell someone that you're going to have a baby. Malina seems confused. She looks at me like I'm crazy before taking a bite of her apple and then looking at me again. It goes on like this for about five minutes before the silence becomes awkward.

"You have some news..." she encourages once her apple is finished. I take a deep breath in slowly.

"Well...Peter and I are going to be parents in nine months." She squeals excitedly before she pulls me into a huge hug. I smile happily, glad that my best friend knows now.

"That's amazing news, Ash. Congratulations!" she exclaims as she pulls away from me. I chuckle softly.

"Thanks, but you're the only person that knows for now, and even then the only reason I've told you is in case I get any strange cravings, so keep your mouth shut," I command. She smiles and nods.

"Sure, don't worry; your wonderful little secret is safe with me," she promises. I smile and give her another hug before standing up. "I've got to go, Ashley, but I'll see you tomorrow," Malina says as she stands up and walks towards the door before suddenly gasping and spinning around quickly. "I forgot to do something," she tells me before yelling at the top of her lungs, "Congratulations, Peter!"

"Shh, Malina, be quiet! There are guards outside our room," I whisper furiously.

"Whoops! Sorry, Ash," she whispers back.

A soft, quiet, "thank you." rings throughout the whole apartment suddenly and I can't help but giggle softly. Malina giggles a little bit too before she waves goodbye to me and leaves. I grin and skip happily back to our bedroom. I open our bedroom door slowly before glancing at the bed. Peter's already in bed reading – a dictionary? I raise an eyebrow before I get into my pyjamas and hop into the already warm bed.

"Honey, why are you reading a dictionary?" I ask inquisitively. He puts it down on the bed, making sure that it's open to where he is, before shuffling over a little bit to cuddle up to me.

"Because I wanted to," he answers truthfully. I stare at him before shaking my head and cuddling into his warm arms. My husband is officially a nerd. Great!

"Is there a better reason than you want to?" I ask. He chuckles and grabs the book again.

"You want a better reason. Fine then! There are some servants and guards who talk Narnian all the time to me and I can't understand what on earth they're saying. So I'm reading the dictionary to understand the language," he explains while reading the word, 'wiernaml' which means waterfall. I smile and start to kiss his neck. I may as well tease him if he prefers reading a dictionary over talking to me. I hear the book being put down immediately. I chuckle and lean away to look into his sparkling, blue eyes. "Tease," he says. I smile innocently at him before giving him one last peck and lying down next to him.

"I would never do such a thing!" I exclaim while putting a hand on my heart. He pulls me tightly into his side.

"Of course not, darling, because you're far too innocent for that." He smirks slightly before laughing at my narrowed eyes. "So would you like to go out shopping tomorrow for baby clothes?" he asks casually, changing the subject. I beam at the word baby. It still seems so surreal that I'm pregnant, as if I'm dreaming or something. He reads my expression and gives me a kiss on the nose. "I'll take that as a yes," he says. I cuddle up deeper into his broad chest while he tightens his grip around my waist. I sigh and close my eyes. It's silent for what seems like ages. I'm almost asleep when..."Wait!" he exclaims, making me jump with fright.

"Goodness, please don't do that! You are going give the innocent, little baby a heart attack before it's even born," I accuse. I feel his warm hand go to my stomach at once.

"The baby's fine, but I just remembered that something is happening tomorrow. We can't go out," he explains. I sigh again and feel my eyelids starting to droop. "I'm sorry, Ash. You can go to sleep now. I forgot how late it is," he tells me. I nod my head slowly and lay down on his chest. He gives my head a kiss and closes his own eyes.

"I love you," I tell him tiredly. I feel him smile.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he tells me honestly. I close my eyes and quickly fall into a nightmare.

It grows closer. The blood-thirsty look in its red eyes scares me to no avail. I'm not worrying about myself in this horrible moment though, I'm panicking for the safety of the gorgeous little, blue-eyed angel hiding behind my leg. The creature haunts forward causing the little boy behind me to quiver with fright. I keep my eyes trained on the menacing creature as I put my hand behind me to hold the tiny boys hand. He grabs hold of it with both of his. The creature is dangerously close. I hear a tiny whimper from behind me and feel little nails digging into my skin. I ignore the pain as the creature stops dead in its tracks. It grins wickedly before it pounces at both of us. The little boy wails from behind me then...

I scream and startle awake. I sit up quickly. My body is dripping in sweat and is rather rigid. I feel tears falling down my face as I put my hand instantly to my stomach. The last time I had a dream like that was before I married Peter. The dream was so vivid that it seemed real. A soft hand touches my shoulder gently and I jump with fright.

"Are you okay?" Peter's soothing voice asks. I turn around stiffly and nod my head. He pulls me carefully down until I'm safely snuggled up against his chest. I feel myself shaking. It looked so real. Peter's hand starts drawing comforting circles on my back.

"I just had a nightmare. It's fine," I assure him in a shaky voice.

"You don't sound fine. Are you sure it wasn't more than just a nightmare?" he asks protectively. I nod my head and snuggle back into the warmth of his chest. I hear him sigh before he kisses the top of my head. I close my eyes in total relaxation. "Put aside your nightmare for a moment and listen to me," he says after a few moments of peaceful silence. I open my eyes back up and look up at his face. He's smiling brightly down at me. What have I done to earn that? "I forget to tell you last night that Aslan is coming today." I gasp.

"Aslan's coming?" I shout at him, suddenly stressed, as I immediately sit up and try unsuccessfully to pull the sheets off my sweaty body.

"Ashley, it's two in the morning and I wasn't done!" Peter interjects while pulling me down quickly. I sigh and nod for him to continue. "Aslan is coming today to...wait for it..." he says teasingly. I fight back the urge to slap his chest for making me wait in anticipation. Goodness, he knows how to torture me! "To crown you High Queen!" he finally tells me excitedly. I freeze and my eyes grow wide. I was expecting this eventually, but it just seems so sudden, after everything that has happened yesterday. He reads my face for a second and then frowns sadly. "Aren't you excited?" he asks upset. I smile up at him reassuringly.

"Yes, I'm very excited, but it just caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting this day to come so quickly," I explain. He smiles at me and gives me a gentle kiss on the lips. I sigh into his mouth. I can kiss Peter all day and would never get sick of it. There's just something about the way his lips move against mine that seems inviting. Just as things start to get heated, I feel a twinge of morning sickness start to make its way up my body. I pull away instantly and put a hand over my mouth before jumping out of bed and running for the bathroom. I start throwing up in the chamber pot at once. Peter comes in at some point to hold my hair back for me, but I'm not exactly sure of the time he arrives. Once I'm done, I stand up and wash my mouth out with the goblet of grape spiced wine that Peter had gotten for me. It tastes good, much to my surprise.

"Thank you, Peter," I say before I make my way back to our bedroom.

"Susan is going to do your hair today. You'd better get going before she goes off at you," Peter warns me as I get up in the morning. I nod in agreement. Susan can get fierce when it comes to hair and makeup and I'm not really in the mood for her to scream at me for being late. I give Peter a quick kiss before heading out of our apartment and down the stone stairs. I walk down to Susan's level and continue down the hallway until I hear her voice.

"Ashley, get in here, now!" Susan warns me in a deadly tone from her bedroom door. I groan and walk into the purple room. Why oh why does Susan have to be the one to get me ready? As soon as I enter I'm immediately attacked by Susan and Lucy. They make me sit down in a chair so that Susan can do my hair while Lucy helps me decide what dress I'm going to wear.

It takes us three hours, but I'm finally ready. I look into the mirror and gasp a tiny bit when I see my reflection. My hair is loose and curled. My dress is long and silver with hints of gold in it. I'm wearing gold flats on my feet and have a diamond necklace on with a matching bracelet. I actually look pretty for the third time in my life. I turn to my side and smile when I can see the tiniest little bump on my stomach. "Whoa, Ashley! I think you need to cut back a bit on the junk food. You know eat something healthy," Susan observes. My eyes grow wide. Whoops! I totally forgot that we haven't told anyone besides Malina about the baby yet! I turn around to face Susan. I start to debate whether or not I should tell them now or wait for Peter, when I hear the door open.

"Ashley, are you ready, sweetheart?" Peter asks from the door. I nod and walk up to give him a hug.

"Yes, I'm just nervous. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever guessed that I was going to be crowned High Queen. I don't know what to do," I whisper quietly into his ear. He pulls back a bit so that he can look in my eyes and smiles.

"Don't worry. We'll help you," he promises. I grimace. "Relax," he adds as he holds out his hand for me to grab. I take it gracefully. He leads me out of the room slowly, obviously giving me a little bit of time to collect myself. We go down the marble staircase and eventually arrive at the front stairs. A sudden thought occurs to me; one that makes my eyes start to water the tiniest bit with tears.

"Ashley?" my husband's questioning tone brings me out of my thoughts. I shake my head and look at him.

"Yes," I answer him. Please don't see past my shield.

"What's wrong? You seem a little pre-occupied. The only times I have ever seen you blank out is when your focusing on something and usually it's quite important," he asks with a hint of worry in his tone. I look straight up into his blue eyes.

"I'm fine. I promise, I was just thinking about my family. I'm just wondering whether my parents would be proud of me at the moment. I don't think my father ever would've suspected that I would become High Queen of Narnia," I explain to Peter. He smiles gently at me.

"They would be so proud of you...just like I am," Peter tells me, his voice dripping with pride as he puts his arm around my waist and starts walking me down to the throne room. I feel myself starting to shake with nerves as we get closer and closer. I feel Peter's grip on my waist tighten as he feels me shaking. "Relax, love, it's going to be great," he promises me quietly. I smile at him nervously. "Okay, are you ready?" Peter asks once we make it to the golden doors. I nod my head, before Peter kisses my forehead and enters through the doors leaving me alone outside in the hallway. The butterflies in my stomach have started doing back flips now.

"Ashley," I hear a gentle, velvet voice call from behind me. I immediately spin around to come face to face with Aslan. He grins happily at me before slowly walking forward to stand next to me. "Just relax and stand in front of your throne once we're at the end and make sure that you don't sit down until the chants are over, okay," he directs me. I nod in understanding. "Right, now come along," he commands me as he goes through the double doors. I quickly follow through the doorway.


	19. High Queen

My eyes grow wide as I take in my surroundings. The Hall's decorated eloquently with blue flowers and ribbons. A row of guards are lined up along a thin line of rolled out white carpet. Behind the guards are all sorts of creatures, all wearing huge grins while being squished together. At the end of the aisle are the three steps that lead up to the thrones; delightfully decorated are the steps with pretty ribbons and white carpet. We make our way painfully slow down the long aisle. I manage to keep my smile up considering the nerves that are bouncing around in the very pits of my stomach. I look ahead and notice that my second family are all standing up in front of their thrones. It's hard to think that I'll be up there with them in a few moments.

Once we reach the end, I stand in front of my white gold throne and turn around. Peter backs away a tiny bit to go and stand next to a beaming Malina who is holding a cushion with a sparkling crown on it. I look at the crown. It's beautiful! Obviously, and to my great joy, it's mine. The crown's white gold with diamonds eloquently decorated along the pretty designs of it. A bright blue gem stands bold and proud in the middle of it. My mind hardly registered when Aslan starts talking until he mentions my name. "High Queen Ashley the Majestic." I smile brightly at my new royal name. I watch Peter as he very carefully picks the crown up and smiles brightly as he strides forwards toward me.

"CRASH AND SMASH!" Edmund shouts at the top of his lungs as Peter carefully climbs up the three stairs. Most of the creatures in the hall are either horror struck or suddenly trying to contain enormous amounts of laughter. I shoot Edmund a glare that I hope says, 'shut up or I will kill you'. He immediately looks down and mutters something under his breath that sounds a bit like "boring sister-in-law". I ignore him and focus my attention back to Peter as he's standing right in front of me.

He places the crown gently on my head and whispers softly into my ear, "Congratulations! I love you." I smile and turn my gaze back to Aslan.

"Once a Queen of Narnia, always a Queen," he says before a chorus of, 'Long Live High Queen Ashley!' echoes loudly throughout the hall. I chuckle and sit down on my throne followed by family. There's a loud shriek of applause and cheers once I'm seated which causes me to chuckle under my breath. I hear a loud horn echo throughout the castle then, signalling the beginning of the main party. As soon as the horn echo's gone, everyone heads over to the table that is flooded with delicious treats and spiced wine.

"Can we get up now?" Edmund whines as he keeps his gaze locked on the huge banquet table. Aslan smiles and nods at him. I hear Edmund cheer before he's running at full speed towards the table. I stand up cautiously and put my hand instantly to my stomach. I feel an arm go around my waist and I look up to see my husband smiling down at my stomach. He puts his other hand over my hand at the same time.

"Congratulations again," he tells me happily. I can tell by his voice that he's excited that I will be ruling along with him.

"Thanks," I murmur softly before yawning. "I'm so tired. I feel like I could cuddle up on my throne and fall asleep there," I tell him sarcastically. He laughs and takes my hand before leading me over to the end of the banquet table. Peter pulls my chair out for me before I go to sit down and then the feast begins. To say there's a lot of food would be a huge understatement. There's too much food! Every kind of possible meat you can imagine, every kind of fish, fruit, soup, salad, and dessert. By the time the dinner is over, I'm so full that by the time I'm five minutes into dancing I feel as if I'm going to throw up. I put up with it for half an hour before deciding to sit down on my throne for a bit; better to be safe than sorry. Almost instantly I have different citizens coming up to me and talking to me. I smile and thank them as they congratulate me, over and over again. I can see how the Pevensie's got over this so quickly. I feel like I'm going to fall asleep from boredom. The word "congratulations" can only be used so often. Eventually the people clear away from me though, to which I'm thankful. I smile weakly after the crowd until my eyes land on a little girl who's standing in front of the steps.

She can't been older than seven. She has beautiful long, wavy, black hair that falls down past her waist. Her wide, blue eyes are hesitant as she looks at the three steps that lead up to the thrones. She seems very shy and nervous. She looks up at me then with a faint quivering, smile. I smile back peacefully and gesture her forward. She seems a little less hesitant once I have offered. She takes a deep breath in before walking slowly up the stairs and standing in front of me. She looks as if she has something to say, but isn't sure whether she's allowed to or not. I smile at her again encouragingly.

"My best wishes go to you, Queen Ashley. I picked you some flowers from my garden at home as a present," she tells me while producing a bunch of Green Jades. My eyes grow wide as I gently take the beautiful bunch from her hand. Green Jades are one of the rarest flowers in Narnia. For this little girl to hand me a dozen is like her giving me a million gold crescents.

"Thank you, sweetie, they're beautiful!" I thank her. She smiles at me.

"That's okay, Your Majesty. I'm glad you like them," she says with a perfect little curtsey and a small giggle. I hold back an 'aww'. She's adorable.

"Brianna, time to leave please," I hear an older faun yell over to us. The little girl, Brianna, frowns sadly. I frown as well. I'm enjoying talking to her. She hasn't used the word 'congratulations' once. It's like a dream come true.

"That's my orphanage mistress. I'm sorry, but I've got to go, Your Majesty. Bye," she apologises before curtseying again and running off to go and meet up with the rest of her group. I instantly feel guilty. I had no idea that she's an orphan, I wish I would've though. I would love to lend a hand someday at the orphanage. Mrs. Finkel (the mistress) runs the place on little money and supplies. I'm surprised they came today at all considering the fact that to attend my coronation you actually have to pay five silver crescents per person. My heart sinks as they walk out the door. I sigh longingly. I wish I don't feel so sick so that I can get up and dance again. I yawn suddenly then as I looked outside the giant windows. It's pitch black outside. I can't see a thing. I take a glance at the moon dial and groan. How can it already be ten pm? I close my eyes in tiredness as my hands place themselves on my slight baby bump. I swear I'm asleep when I feel a warm hand gently shake me. I open my eyes to the dark candlelit hall. It's empty besides the few guards that are guarding every possible entry into it. I stretch my arms out and rub my eyes before looking to my left. My husband's standing there looking almost as tired as I feel.

"Ready for bed?" Peter inquires as he gently helps me stand up before kissing the back of the hand he's holding gently. I yawn again and nod.

"Yes, I am. What's the time?" I ask him as we walk hand in hand down the three steps.

"Around elven pm. You've been asleep for almost an hour now," he explains, chuckling slightly at me. I roll my eyes at him as we begin walking up the treacherous staircase to our mini house. I hold onto the hand rail for dear life, a little bit afraid of tripping and falling down the staircase in my zombie like state. Eventually we make it up to our bedroom. I can't even be bothered to get dressed. I just simply fall onto the bed and fall asleep instantaneously. It barely registers with me when I feel myself being pulled over and lifted up until I'm curled up against my husband's chest under the sheets. I smile slightly before dreaming of my family and Aslan.


	20. Stories

Emolise POV

"I can't believe that you're married!"

"I can't believe that you're High Queen!"

"I can't believe that you're pregnant!"

My friends and I are all sitting down in the lounging area, crowded around Ashley. We haven't seen her for weeks, which was starting to worry all of us. Everyone in the castle was glad when she finally came down stairs and got crowned. We have been waiting a while for her to get her act together.

"Hey, Ash, we should all go out tomorrow and buy some cute clothes for the little baby," Kabella suggests. A loud echo of agreements sound throughout the room. I take no heave to that though; I'm looking at Ashley, anticipating her reaction to all their joy. She smiles faintly at all our excitement. I know her look immediately though, tiredness. I can't blame her really. Not only is she pregnant, but the members of the court, which included the royal family, spent all day trying to figure out the location of my dear mother, worried that she might be getting closer to the castle. I can't even help them though because not even I know my mother's location. If I did, then I would surely tell them, especially Ashley and her husband. I yawn and take a curious glance up at the moondial. It's nine pm, which means that the bell will ring at any minute, which means that we can all go home.

"I'm not sure. I'm a little tired, maybe as I get a bit closer to the due date I will consider going out with all of you, but for now I just want to lie down and relax," she explains groggily. All of us sigh at that. We have been eager to spend some girl time with Ash ever since she got back from her honeymoon with Peter, but she has been depressed over her sister's death and then got too busy looking for my mum for us to do anything with her.

"Maybe you should go to bed, Ash," I suggest as I give my attention back to her. She's almost asleep on the couch. I feel tired just looking at her. Her eyes open wide as she remembers where she is before she slightly blushes.

"Sorry, I forgot where I was. I think I might just do that, if I can even stand up." All of us give a slight chuckle at that. The bell rings then, signalling the end of the work day for us. I stand up slowly and stretch before going and giving all my friends a hug. They're all getting ready to leave as well.

"I'll see you all later. I need to get home to my brothers and sisters," I explain. They smile and wave as I leave. I walk down the hallway before I hear fast approaching footsteps from behind me.

"Hello, Em!" Killara greets as she slows down to a walking pace beside me. Her blond hair is blowing slightly in the frosty breeze and her usually hazel coloured eyes look dark and dusky in the dim light.

"Hi, Lara!" I answer back. Killara lives opposite me so we usually walk home together from work. We walk out of the castle before we begin talking, knowing that inside the castle there are prying ears everywhere listening into teenage conversations.

"So have you figured out where your mum is yet?" she asks me curiously. Killara knows everything about my mum; we talk about her almost every night. She's the only one of my friends that I could ever really talk to about such a serious matter. Well, if you count out Malina and Ashley. I frown.

"No, I don't know. I'm worried if I figure it out though then she's going to hurt either my siblings or me. I know that I should probably talk to someone about my concerns, but then what if it gets out there and then we're all going to be in danger," I explain. Lara's in deep thought for a moment.

"I guess," she sighs," I do have to wonder though, what set your mum off? I mean, what could possibly take place that she would go out of her way to kidnap a five year old and kill her in cold blood," she comments after a while. I grimace.

"I'm not too sure. She hasn't told me the exact reason. The only thing that can be a clue is that a few months ago she told me specifically that she used to like Ashley more when Peter wasn't around. It's a bizarre reckoning, but we can't rewind the past. I have a feeling though that it could have to do with the fact that she married King Peter." I sigh as we arrive onto the dirt path that leads up to our two houses. I ignore the spooky sound of the owl sitting in the pine tree as I focus more on the sounds of my siblings in the house, or stable, since that's what it is. We walk slowly up to our houses.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Em," Lara says before giving me a hug.

"Okay, sure. Say hi to your parents and siblings for me." She nods before running up to the front door of her small house. I turned and walked up to my own, all the while trying to drown out the awful noises of my brothers and sisters fighting. I take a deep breath in before gently opening the front door. To say the house is a mess, would be an understatement. I can't even see half the floor, but I guess I should expect that when my brothers and sisters are alone at home all day.

"Emmy!" Sarah exclaims while running up to me and hugging my right leg. I grimace slightly. She lets go of it suddenly and runs off to the lounge room shouting. I glance over in the main direction and groan. Stupid brothers! They're pulling the heads off my sister's teddy bears and throwing them into the fireplace. Why they even have the fireplace lit in the first place, I don't know. My house is chaotic at night time. Having thirteen younger brothers and sisters is not always a good thing. I throw my bag down onto the ground in the living room before walking over to the kitchen and grabbing a red apple from the fruit bowl. I finish off my apple before I hear the front door open.

"Hi, kids!" my dad's booming voice echoes throughout the house. I throw the apple core out the window and walk casually over to where my dad's standing.

"Daddy!" I hear at least five kids exclaim loudly while they run up for hugs. I frown at them. Thank Aslan they're going to bed soon.

"Hey, Em, what's wrong?" dad asks.

"Can I talk to you once all the kids go to bed?" I ask, completely ignoring his question. He nods and goes back to listening to my siblings chat and laugh. "Oh and, dad? Savid, Harrichale, and Garames were pulling the heads off teddy bears and tossing them into the fireplace...again," I tell him. The little boys glower at me evilly. My dad shoots his head in their direction.

"Is this true?" he asks them, his voice on the edge of anger. They nod sheepishly before mumbling "yes" under their breaths. "Well then I suppose you're all in trouble. Go up to your rooms, now," he demands in an angry voice. The boys all shoot glares at me before they start walking slowly up stairs. "As for the rest of you, it's past your bedtime. Come on, up to bed." I hear Zellenia, Raquelia, and Claudia all groan in annoyance. They believe that since they're over twelve, they should have a right to stay up until at least eleven pm, I know better. They will have to wait until their sixteenth birthdays before they're allowed to stay up late; they will also be expected to get jobs. That thought makes me chuckle. My siblings are all so spoilt that the thought of having to work somewhere makes them gasp in horror.

While I'm thinking over all of these things, Sarah has happily skipped up to dad and given his cheek a kiss and gone up the stairs. The rest of the younger ones follow her example while the older ones grudgingly walk up to him, say, "bye," and head up the stairs slowly. I chuckle. Once they're all gone, I turn to my dad who's already walking over to the hay pile in the lounge room. I follow him in slowly. The fire has grown a considerable amount, thanks to the many bear heads that are now roasting slowly in it, causing the room to give off an orange glow. The small, wooden table in the middle of the room is covered in a large amount of food scraps, no thanks to my siblings. I also notice that a painting of our family, which had been sitting on the small desk against the brown wall, is now on the ground in pieces. I try to ignore the rest of the room, too afraid to know what else has been smashed, as I walk over and lounge down on the hay next to my dad.

"You wanted to talk about something," he starts after a short, comfortable silence. I nod.

"It's about mum-" I start to say.

"I thought we had discussed this Emolise," he cuts me off sharply. I grimace. It's true. Dad has explained to me very clearly that mum has turned into a very delicate subject. I tend to ignore what he tells me though, so the subject has been brought up quite a few times over the past few months.

"I know, dad, but have you seen how everyone in the castle is starting to react to even the sound of mum's name. This is not going to end well. Peter has sent out search parties to look for her dad. They're going to find her and when they do, she's going to think that we ratted her out and turn against us!" I explain to him, suddenly terrified for my family's safety. He frowns.

"Your mum knows what she's doing," he tells me simply.

"Peter wants to kill her dad, but we know what mum's like! She'll manage to find a way to get away and then plan a slow and painful death for us all!" I screech at him. He puts a finger to his lips just as I remember that all my siblings are sleeping up stairs.

"Emolise, no more; your mum is dangerous. I didn't want to admit it earlier because I didn't want to frighten you, but she is. I don't want you to get involved in this. She's stuck in something that she can't get out of easily," he tells me. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

"Stuck in something? What? Dad, I don't understand what you mean," I murmur. His expression becomes grave, almost impossible to read.

"Good."

"Dad?" I inquire questioningly. I feel myself becoming more and more frustrated with him as all he gives me is silence. "Dad, I'm old enough to know what is going on. Please tell me something...anything. I'm begging you," I plead. His expression softens remarkably then before his mouth drops into a gentle smile.

"Okay then, but you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone." I nod enthusiastically, eager to know what's happening to my mother. "It's a bit of a long story though, so get comfortable." I do as he says and lay down so that I'm facing him head on.

"I'm all ears," I tell him smiling. He smiles back as he takes a deep breath in before starting.

"It started a few years ago when Isabella had just turned 2. Your mother never liked Olivia, Ashley's mother. She was jealous, envious of Olivia's life. Olivia had a beautiful cottage, while we lived in a shaggy, old stable that was falling apart at the seams. Olivia had two perfect daughters, while Starstone had thirteen messy, disobedient children (no offence honey, you know I love you either way)" I smirk and can't help the giggle that escapes me. We are a pretty disobedient bunch of children. "As I was saying, your mum was just plain out jealous of Olivia, so she devised a plan. Up in the southern mountains, just on the border of Narnia and Archenland, are a group of, I guess you could call them, rebels. There were three creatures in this group. I'm not going to tell you their names for your own safety. Their main goal in life was to overthrow the kingdom, take back what they believed was rightfully theirs.

Your mother was curious of them and managed to track them down to a small cave surrounded by dead shrubbery. She talked with them and complained about Olivia's life to them. All three of them listened intently to what she had to say. Once she was done, they agreed to help her destroy Olivia's life. Starstone's plan was to simply burn down their house, once Olivia, Henry, Ashley, and Bella were all out, just simply to ensure that Olivia had a worse life than she did, but the rebels had other plans. Instead of doing what Starstone wanted them to do; they kidnapped Olivia and Henry before bringing them to the torture chamber and killing them. They got rid of the bodies before telling Starstone that the deed was done. The next day we were at work and Ashley came running up to us in absolute tears. She told us that The White Witch had killed her parents and that now she and Bella were all alone. We were all in shock as she told us. Instantly I saw a change in Starstone. She suddenly became a lot happier and seemed to have cheered up to her usual self again.

Once the two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve arrived she changed again. She became impossibly harder to deal with. Even though she seemed excited about the arrival of the children and defeat of the White Witch, she seemed to be getting angrier, more vicious. When she found out that Ashley had started courting the High King, well let's just say that she wasn't happy. She wanted you to become High Queen, not Ashley. She became so mad that she took the two day trek back up to the mountains to find the rebels. They weren't very hard to find. She asked them if she could join their group and also asked them whether they would like to help her plan Ashley's death, because if Ashley died, then that would mean that the throne would be available for the taking. They discussed it for a day before agreeing. They gave her the job of kidnapper. She would sneak into people's homes and kidnap the person that needed the punishment before taking them back over to the torture chambers. She decided though that there was one person who she personally wanted revenge on. The one person that she wanted the honour of bringing down. The one person that was almost impossible to get to without the proper technique; Ashley. The rebels agreed that they would help her, because they knew that if they could get rid of Ashley, then Peter would be lost. So one night while all the guards were off duty they snuck into the castle and took everything out of the kitchen. That was the time when the kitchen got flooded. As soon as Peter and Ashley got married, Starstone thought it was the perfect time to get revenge. She was going to burn down Ashley and Peter's new mini house when the rebels came up with the idea of kidnapping Bel -"

"Hi, honey," a voice echoes throughout the small room. I turn my head around so that I can see the front door. It flies open before mum saunters in. She places a bloody knife back in its holder on the kitchen bench before walking over to us.

"Hi, darling," my dad replied before they lock lips and kiss passionately. I try to hold in my disgust. I have seen people kiss before, Peter and Ashley included, it's just the way mum and dad hold each other like that; it just looks so wrong. There are some things that children should not see and this is one of them. They pull away after thirty seconds before mum turns to me.

"Hey, Em! What are you two up to?" she asks conversationally. I shrug my shoulders at the same time dad does.

"You know just talking about things, as we usually do," I answer, trying to be casual about the situation while trying to figure out a way of escaping my house so that I can alert Peter and Ashley to her location. I know though that it's only going to put my life in danger, so I hold back the idea. I can always tell them tomorrow.

"What type of things?" she questions with a sly smile. I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to come up with a lie that would sound somewhat true.

"We're just talking about work," dad cuts in, much to my relief. She nods.

"What were you doing?" I ask her while trying to reign in my nerves. I have to admit that I'm afraid of what she might say.

"Just planning something..." she tells us carelessly. I gulp.

"What are you planning?" I inquire. She smiles at me.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," she answers while pointing at me. I nod.

"Um, sure mum; I'm going to go to bed now. Night," I say before giving both of them a kiss on the cheek and walk slowly upstairs. Once I'm out of sight I run to my bedroom and close the door quickly. I lean up against it, my mind racing with possible scenarios that my mother's planning. Kidnapping Ashley again, killing Ashley and planning someone's death, overruling the castle. There are endless possibilities and I have to admit that I'm frightened. A soft knock on the door brings me back down to reality as I nearly jump in the air with fright. I stand up and slowly open it to find my dad standing on the other side of it.

"Can I come in?" I nod and turn around so that I can lie down on my bed. He follows me before placing himself down next to me. I look at him.

"She wants me to be the High Queen?" I say softly. The question has been on my mind since he first mentioned it in the story and I have to make sure that I had heard him right. He nods solemnly. "Mum's lost it dad. Peter loves Ashley! There's no way he's going to marry me if she ever dies. Besides, I don't know if she ever noticed, but I'm a centaur! Only Daughters of Eve can be queens. Mums plan is just plain stupid!" I yell - whisper to him. I know it isn't his fault, I just have to let all my frustration out on someone.

"Emolise, please don't get involved in this situation. I can't risk losing you," he tells me calmly. I take a few deep breaths in before speaking again.

"What do you think mum's going to do when she finds out that Ashley is pregnant?" I ask worriedly. Dad's eyes widen and his jaw hits the ground.

"Ashley's pregnant!" he exclaims loudly before I put a finger to my lips, a reminder to be quiet.

"Yes, dad, she is! We can't have mum hurt her. Her and Peter are looking forward to this baby," I tell him. He nods his head and thinks over what I have said for a moment before sighing.

"When did you find this out?" he inquires quietly.

"Before I left the castle to come home from work." He nods.

"Okay then," he answers back. There's silence for a moment, but I can tell that he's about to say something, so I keep my mouth shut. "Emolise," he finally starts.

"Yes."

"Don't tell Ashley what we have discussed. If you do, it's just going to make your mother madder, okay? So keep your mouth shut," he commands me quietly.

"But dad! Her life and her child's life could be at risk! How do you expect me not to tell her?"

"Just don't. If you do then our family's life is at risk." I nod.

"Okay." I slowly lay my head back down on my pillow. "Good, I love you, angel. Have a good sleep."

"I love you too, dad," I murmur softly as I slowly close my eyes. I feel him kiss my forehead before I hear his footsteps head out of the room. The door shuts quietly. I'm immediately immersed into a dream. It's night time. There's a low mist that hovers over the snowy ground and dirty - white snow is piled up on top of all the leafless trees of the forest. Standing directly in the middle of the forest are four creatures. The first one looks to be a sort of wolf with blood stained teeth and fur. The second creature is a short, dirty dwarf. His hair and beard are a midnight black colour and fairly long. You can barely see his face. His clothes are all torn and covered in mud stains. The third creature is an ogre. He has brown skin, no hair, and a torn up cloak. The fourth is my mother, only she doesn't look like she usually does. Her hair and fur is a mess of knots and twigs and her eyes look ferocious and wide. All four of the creatures wear lethal grins that make my skin burst into goose bumps. That's when I notice what they're looking at. Ashley, lifeless and deathly pale. Her crown has fallen off her head and is now laying side up in the snow. I also notice that her stomach is sliced open and her baby is lying dead in the snow. Peter's cradling her in his arms, bawling his eyes out. I hear an awful chuckle then before startling awake with a gasp. My skin's drenched in sweat and my hair's knotted. "It was just a dream," I murmur to myself as I lay my head back down.

"Are you okay, sweetheart? I heard you scream," my dad asks worriedly as he bursts into the room. I nod.

"Yeah, I just had a nightmare," I assure him. He smiles gently before kissing the top of my head.

"Okay then. I love you," he tells me as he leaves the room. As soon as the door is closed, I shut my eyes. I fall asleep pretty quickly, only to have more nightmares for the rest of the night.


	21. Bundles of Joy

Back to Ashley POV (7 months later)

The shouts of the town's people are what wake me up in the morning. This is fairly common now. There's always some sort of argument going on in the town, whether it's something as small as a poor person stealing a loaf of bread or something as major as a Minotaur running rampage throughout the large settlement. I groan. I do not need this right now. Peter and I didn't get to bed until four-thirty this morning because of a useless and pointless meeting that we had to have with Lord Silian last night, plus, on top of that, I've been getting extreme contractions for the past few days which means that I've been waking up a lot during the night, plus the fact that every stinking morning, for the past three months, I've been woken up at six am because of the stupid town's people. I am ready to rip my hair out if I have to live one more day with this torture.

"Hey, You! Give me back my loaf of bread!"

"Never step foot into this pub again or I will kill you with my knife!"

"Stop pushing me!" "No, you stop pushing!" "You stop!" "No, you stop!"

"THAT'S IT! I'VE LOST IT!" I yell as I shoot my eyes open wide.

"Honey, just calm do-,"Peter starts to say. I jump out of bed though, totally ignoring him. I quickly jerk on my morning gown before I yank open the balcony door and stand up straight and proud. I lean over the edge of the ivory railing as best as I can, since my stomach is in the way.

"ALRIGHT! LISTEN UP; ALL OF YOU! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF BEING WOKEN UP AT SIX IN THE MORNING BECAUSE OF ALL YOU! I DIDN'T GET TO SLEEP UNTIL FOUR – THIRTY AND I'M TIRED AND TOTALLY ANNOYED. IF THIS HAPPENS ONE MORE TIME, YOU WILL ALL DIE! I WILL KILL YOU ALL PERSONALLY! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, SO SHUT YOUR MOUTHS OR GET YOU HEADS CUT OFF WITH A SHARP SWORD!" I shout out. Everyone is immediately quiet and looking up at me. I can't even hear the squeak of a mouse. Good! "HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?" I ask loudly. They all nod. I groan. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU," I bellow.

"Yes, Your Majesty," they all said in unison. I smile triumphantly.

"THANKYOU, EVERYONE!" I shout out. I walk back inside and immediately slide off my morning gown and hop back into the warm bed. I cuddle into Peter's chest and sigh in content. Silence! I thought I would never be happy to sit in silence, but right now I am extremely glad. I close my eyes and snuggle in closer to the warmth that is my husband.

"You could have handled that better," I hear Peter say as he wraps his arms around me tightly. I open my eyes and look up at his shining face. He smiles at me.

"What do you mean? It shut them up," I state, closing my eyes again. I hear him chuckle before he unwraps his arms from around me. I feel him shuffle underneath me and guess that he has put them behind his head.

"You didn't need to send them death threats to shut them up, Ash. A simple, 'Please be quiet' would've sufficed," he tells me before giving the top of my head a kiss. I giggle and lean up to kiss his luscious lips. He agrees immediately, kissing me with so much enthusiasm it's as if we haven't kissed in months. Just as things start to get heated my stupid stomach gets in the way. Yes, I love this baby, but I can't wait for it to be out of my belly so that I can kiss my husband properly again. I feel him smiling against my lips, before I unwillingly pull away. "It's okay, love, the baby's coming soon. Relax," he tells me while putting his hand on my rounded stomach. I sigh.

"Yes, I know that. The bump is just starting to irritate me now though. Either though I love the fact that I have a small life growing inside me, I wish it was out so that I don't need to worry about it anymore," I explain slowly. He smiles.

"I'm sure you'll live for a few more days," he murmurs just as I hear a door open and the sound of little feet run up to our bedroom. I half sit up in the bed as Lucy comes flying in excitedly.

"Good morning, Peter and Ashley!" she sings lightly as she runs up and dives onto the gigantic bed. She lands right next to Peter before leaning over and giving him a small kiss on his left cheek. If there's one thing I have learnt while being married to Peter, it's that Lucy never comes into our bedroom in the morning unless she wants something and usually what she wants costs Peter money.

"What do you want, Lu?" he asks almost at once. She smiles sweetly before cuddling up into his side.

"Well you see, I'm very bored, being the only little girl around now, so I want Ashley to have the baby today so that I can play dress up with her tomorrow," she commands in a voice that's so sweet and innocent that if you don't listen carefully, you wouldn't have heard the menacing tone behind it. This sweet, innocent Lucy is always the most dangerous one.

"Lucy you've got to stay open-minded. It might be a boy," I tell her while my hand flies to my stomach. I smile as I feel a few kicks.

"No, it's going to be a girl and I'm going to play dress-up with her," she replies stubbornly with a deadly smile. I roll my eyes at her.

"Lu, come off it. You of all people know that to be able to play dress-up you need to be able to walk and talk, which this baby won't be able to do for a few years. So you're going to have to wait for her to get older," Peter tells her sternly. I frown. I don't like him putting it like that, but I suppose it is better for her to know the rules now so that she doesn't whine and carry on about it later. She pouts.

"Please, Petey," she begs quietly in a persuading voice while pouting. He groans.

"Lucy, not now; you're going to have to be patient," he tells her. I know for a fact that he isn't going to give in as easily as Lucy would like. She slumps down next to him before sighing.

"Fine," she answers while pouting out her bottom lip. He smiles smugly, not that it's any surprise to me that he was going to win this battle. She crosses her arms over her chest before turning her head in the opposite direction. Peter rolls his eyes as I contain a chuckle. They're both so immature. I feel the baby move in my stomach then and immediately something feels off; I can't quite put my finger on what it is though. Peter notices my sudden distraction then, his hand instantly flying to my stomach.

"Lu, I need to talk to Ash in private..." he trails off. She huffs before standing up and quickly walking out the door with her head held high. She slams the door close, causing me to jump a little bit from the sudden bang. I hear Peter sigh a little bit as his fingers lightly trace my stomach.

"What's up? Why did you kick out Lucy?" I ask him. He's looking down at my stomach with a sad looking expression on his face.

"I just wanted her out so that I could see where the baby's at. I can feel it kicking against my leg," he explains. I laugh. "No, I'm serious, I can. I am a little sad though; it seems the baby has a right foot and not a right arm," he whines. I raise an eyebrow.

"What does that mean?" I ask inquiringly.

"It means that he might be a better soccer player than cricket," he complains before he pretends to wipe away a tear. I can't hold in the laughter this time, I burst out laughing.

"Peter, you are just as bad as Lucy!" I laugh out. He grumbles unintelligible words before I feel something odd. All teasing and joking suddenly flies out the window. I know what that feeling is, even though I have never experienced it. "Um, Peter," I say as calmly as I can handle.

"I'm not talking to you anymore," he says as looks in the opposite direction to me. I get off his lap and sit up slowly. My hand flies to my stomach in the same instant.

"Peter!" I say a little more panicked.

"I'm still not talking to you," he replies immaturely. I feel my stomach cramp up a bit causing me to slouch over in pain as a contraction hits me. By the Lion's Mane!

"PETER!" I shout angrily at him. He turns immediately to me.

"Yes," he says simply without emotion. I take a few deep breaths in to calm myself so that I can speak.

"Peter, my water just broke. I think I'm about to have the baby." He has a hand on my stomach as soon as the words are out just as his other one starts stroking my forehead.

"How are you feeling?" he asks urgently. I take a deep breath in to steady myself.

"I'm fine at the moment, but if you could get me to the hospital that would be great," I reply. He's out of bed and picking me up all in the same second. He cradles me to his chest as he takes me out of our mini house and down the stairs. He tells Edmund something quickly at the bottom of the stairs before running out the front entrance. I can feel the baby moving lower and lower as he rapidly runs me to the hospital. We enter through the silver doorway and run immediately to the front desk.

"Sophianna, Ashley's water just broke. She's about to have the baby," Peter explains, panicked.

"Sure, just follow me, Your Majesty," she tells him before leading us into an emergency room quickly. "The High Queen is about to have a baby. We need to check it now," she tells the nurse in the room.

"Right, King Peter, just place her down on the bed so that we can get started," the friendly nurse says. By memory I'm pretty sure her name is Allanina. He lays me down gently just as the doctor comes in.

Edmund POV

Hmm, I wonder what Peter meant when he came running up to me earlier saying that Ash was going to hospital? There was something weird in the way he spoke; it almost sounded like he was...panicked. HA! There's a laugh! Peter being panicked?! I wonder why Ash had to go to hospital though. Hmm interesting, very interesting! I'm walking downstairs when I hear footsteps behind me. The next minute, Malina, Emolise, and Kabella are beside me.

"King Edmund, do you know where Ashley is? It's a dire emergency!" Emolise asks rushed, once I have stopped and turned to face them.

"Yes, Peter told me a little while ago that they were going to the hospital."

"WHAT!?" three alarmed voices shout at me.

"I said they've gone to the hospital -"

"We heard what you said," Malina snaps angrily. That's strange, very strange. Maybe they know why Peter and Ashley have gone to the hospital. I'm going to ask them, but they're already gone. I shrug before I start walking down the corridor before turning a corner and almost bumping into Susan in the process.

"Hi. What are you two up to?" I ask while looking down at Lucy then back up to Susan.

"We're looking for Ashley. We brought her this cute, little jacket for the baby," Susan explains while holding up a white, baby jumper.

"Who isn't looking for Ashley today, but, like I told Malina, Emolise and Kabella, Peter took her to hospital about an hour ago," I tell them matter-of-factly.

"She's having the baby!" Susan squeals out, causing me to block my ears from the irritating sound. Then it hits me.

"Of course, yeah, she's gone to have the baby! Sometimes I am so brainless," I say while smacking my head. Both of my sisters look at me as if I'm from another world.

"You only just worked that out?" Lucy asks. I smile gleefully.

"Yep! I'm just so smart!" I reply happily.

"Sure you are, Edmund. Come along, Lu, let's go to the hospital and wait for Ash and Pete," Susan says while dragging my little sister away. I wave joyfully towards them as I watch them turn the corner and leave. Maybe I should go and wait in the hospital too. It is my first niece or nephew after all... At that exact moment I hear the breakfast bell ring. Actually, on second thought, Ashley can wait; first I'm going to get me some bacon.

Ashley POV (7 hours later)

Kill me now! Kill me now! Kill me now! Kill me now! No one ever told me that giving birth to a baby is so bloody painful.

"It's alright, honey, you're almost there," Peter encourages me through gritted teeth. "I know you're going through hell right now, but would you mind loosening your grip on my hand a tiny bit," he adds on politely. I'm holding his hand in such a tight grasp that if he even tried getting away he wouldn't be able to. I take a tiny glance down; it's blue, which means that I'm cutting off his circulation. I loosen it for a tiny bit only to tighten it again as soon as the doctor makes me push again for the final time. "Ashley. Loosen. Your. Grip." he commands through gritted teeth.

"NO! I'm in pain! I need to hold onto something!" I scream. One look at his face though and I comply. No one can resist that face; even in the middle of pain. Focus, Ashley, back to the job at hand. I scream again as the doctor makes me push again. If he ever gets me pregnant again, I will kill him! I'm not going through this hell ever again! At that exact moment I hear a tiny cry. I look down as best as I can. The doctor's smiling up at me. In his arms is a tiny little baby. I can't tell whether it's a boy or girl from where I sit; the only thing I know is that it's the most adorable little thing I have ever seen in my life. I'm expecting to feel more relaxed now that the baby's fully out of me, but there's still very strong pressure coming from my womb. I feel like I need to push again.

"Doctor, why do I still feel the need to push even though the baby is already out?" I inquire through gritted teeth. I look back down to him. He looks pretty shocked as he passes my beautiful, little baby to another nurse.

"Alright, Ashley, can you just give me one more push?" he asks calmly. I do as he says and instantly feel the now familiar ripping pain throughout my abdomen. My mind finally registers with what's going on. We are going to have twins? Really? I feel a smile break out on my face as I think about the idea. Two little babies, two little extra mouths to feed. I feel my hand being laced with Peter's again as I push for all it's worth. Tears flow freely down my cheeks as I take a deep breath and push for the last time. There's instantly another little cry.

"You're done, Your Majesty," the doctor tells me with a bright smile. I sigh in relief and fall back onto the pillow stack that has somehow formed on the bed. I feel something cold touch my sweaty forehead at once. I'm not going to start complaining though. It feels nice on my heated skin. "Congratulations, Your Majesties. You have one boy and one girl," I vaguely hear the doctor say. I hear the sound of my son and daughter crying and immediately jolt up.

"Would you like a hold of your son first?" the nurse asks me politely. I nod excitedly. She smiles before picking up a small little bundle that's wrapped up in a woollen, blue blanket. She hands him carefully over to me. I bring him straight up to my chest and can't help but beam widely. He's adorable. I stroke the thin layer of hair on his head back as he stares up at me. He's so small and vulnerable. I instantaneously feel nervous. I don't even notice when everyone leaves the room. I'm far too caught up with the tiny baby in my arms.

"Well done," I hear Pete whisper in my ear. I turn my head so that my forehead is touching with his. He smiles at me and gives me a slow kiss before focusing all his attention down towards our son and daughter (who he's now holding). He strokes our daughter's small pile of brown hair back and I instantly feel a tear come to my eye. I never thought I would have kids, yet here we are, holding two beautiful little babies in our arms.

"Would you like a hold of your son?" I ask him after a while. He looks at the little girl in his arms, who's gripping his pinkie finger tightly already, before turning his attention back to the little boy in my arms.

"Hmm...okay then," he replies back gently after a minute of decision making. He smiles at me before carefully placing our daughter down on my lap, with some tugging on her part, so that he can embrace the little boy. I hand Peter the baby before picking her up. Beautiful, little, blue eyes stare back at me. She's completely awake, staring up at me with a bright smile with two little dimples. I can't help but smile back just as brightly.

"They're both gorgeous," Peter tells me. I notice a tear come to his eye, obviously from joy. I can't blame him. Nine months of them in my stomach and now they're finally out so we can hold them; it is very overwhelming. After about ten minutes of silence Pete finally speaks up. "What should we name them?" I feel my body freeze up for a second. I haven't even thought about that yet.

"I'm not sure," I admit after a small silence. He smiles at me.

"Why don't you pick a name for our son and I'll pick one for our daughter?" Peter suggests. I grin.

"Okay then, what about Brenton?" I ask him curiously. Peter nods.

"Brenton's nice," he agrees. I hear a small whimper then from down in my arms. I look quickly down to my now squirming daughter. I hold her a little tighter against me. She stops at once. I take a glance over to Brenton only to realise that he's fast asleep in Peter's arms already.

"Good job," I tell him. He chuckles.

"Well you sort of get used to it after having three younger siblings," he explains. I giggle. I always forget about his brother and sisters.

"I guess that's true. Maybe I should let you handle them every time they wake up," I retort quickly. He grins.

"Well there are a few things that only mothers can do." I smile.

"Yes, I know. Now are we going to give our daughter a name or is she going to be called "the baby" for the rest of her life?" I joke. He thinks about it for a second.

"How about Annabella? That way it's not exactly the same name as your sister, but it's still representing her in some way," he suggests. Don't call me a wimp, but I start crying – a lot.

"That's beautiful, Peter. Thank you. Okay then, Brenton and Annabella it is," I agree trying to calm myself down. After a few minutes of Peter and I talking, once the tears had subsided, one of the nurses comes in. She's humming to herself happily as she walks up to the bed before gesturing to both of our children.

"Have you got any names yet?" she asks us cheerily as if she's a child in a lolly store.

"Brenton and Annabella," Peter replies with joy. The nurse smiles before asking us for the spelling and writing it down. She leaves then, just as happily as she had come in.

"Obviously she loves her job," I note simply before looking back down to Annabella.

"Or she's excited that the country has a Prince and Princess for the first time in years," he puts out. I can tell by his tone of voice that he's smirking. I have to admit that he's probably right. I know that there are going to be a lot of happy people once we tell them all about the twins. I yawn loudly then. Obviously my worn out state from the past few weeks is finally starting to catch up with me. My eyes suddenly feel extremely droopy as I look down at my daughter. "Ashley, would you like to go to sleep? You can if you'd like. You may as well take advantage of the nurses while you still can," he asks me with a slight frown.

"I'm fine," I lie swiftly while making sure to avoid eye-contact with him. He can usually tell if I'm lying by looking into my eyes, so I figure that he won't be able to tell if I don't look at him. Wrong!

"You're lying," he accuses. I sigh.

"Fine then, I am, but I don't really want to sleep at the moment. I want to stay up and hold my babies for a while," I explain. He grimaces.

"Ashley, you have your entire life to hold our children. I'm sure they won't hold it against you if you wanted to sleep an hour after giving birth," he says. I frown before sighing.

"I suppose some sleep will do me some good," I agree after a minute. He smiles before placing Brenton down in the crib that's provided before grabbing Annabella off me and putting her in her crib as well. I lay down pretty much immediately since my back feels as if it's about to break into two if I sit up any longer. I sigh in peace as I slowly close my eyes. A second later I feel strong arms wrap themselves protectively around me. I cuddle into Peter unconsciously before I fall into a deep slumber.

The Next Morning

I wake up to the feeling of someone shaking me crazily. I open my eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the reddish glow of the morning sunrise. I almost jump out of my skin as I notice one of the nurses right in front of my face.

"Your Majesty?" she asks warily. I sit up slowly, all the while looking at her. There's something weird in the tone of her voice. It's almost as if she's scared to tell me something. I reach across to the opposite side of the bed, expecting to find Peter, but all I feel is a cold, empty sheet.

"Yes?" I reply back in a shaky tone. I can sense the tense atmosphere of the room as the nurse pulls something out from behind her back. I take it cautiously, as if it can sting me at any minute. It's a note, on the kind of paper that you would expect to find in someone's private stash of journal entries. That isn't what bothers me though, it's what's written on the note that makes my eyes well up with angry – no – furious tears. They run down my face in small trails as I read the words over and over again.

Dear annoying Queen – or should I say Witch.

If you ever wish to see your children again,

I suggest you have a divorce and let my daughter marry King Peter.

She would love to be Queen in your place, but if you refuse, then I'm afraid your gorgeous, little children are going to get it.

Signed Starstone


	22. Missing and Killing

I feel all the blood in my body boil as I read her words. She has my babies! I'm ready to kill someone in a very gruesome way. My motherly instincts kick in automatically as I angrily get out of the uncomfortable hospital bed. I throw on my morning gown and am about to leave the room when two arms grab me around my waist and pull me back into the room. One of the arms reaches out and closes the door before they spin me around so that I'm pressed against its chest.

"I know you're worried and upset, Ash, but you must lie down and rest," my husband tells me as he cuddles me into him. I can't help but let the tears fall in defeat as I cry into his chest.

"What if she kills them, Peter?" I retort loudly.

"Don't worry, Ash. I'm going to find them and Starstone is going to die," he promises me in a calm, but at the same time, harsh voice. I smile weakly against him.

"Really?" I ask him through sobs.

"Really. She's done too much to you for me to be able to let her get away with any of it. The next time I see her, I will kill her, with no hesitation," he tells me before he gives the top of my head a kiss. I sniffle before wiping away the tears with the back of my left hand. I move away from him slowly as I hear someone enter the room. I turn around only to see Oreius standing at the doorway.

"King Peter, we have gathered the knights for when you're ready to go out and begin the search for your children," I hear his deep voice say. Peter walks over to him quickly.

"Fantastic. Thank you, Oreius. We will go out at once! Ensure that they've all got their swords and shields. I will be down periodically." Oreius nods once at him before bowing to me and quickly running out of the room.

"Peter, should I bring my sword and shield too? I suppose I'll also need to quickly run and grab my armour –" he cuts me off commandingly with a strong voice; his gentle, comforting side gone in a flash.

"Ashley, you are not to come. Understand? No way, under any circumstance, am I going to risk putting your life in danger again. You will stay here in the hospital under the watchful eye of Malina and don't you dare try following us or there will be consequences." I gape at him openly. Is he being serious?

"What?! You don't honestly expect me to sit back and watch you put your life in danger do you? I am going whether you like it or not!" I shout at him. I'm past being nice now. This is my family we're talking about. There's no way I'm going to sit back and wait for them to return not knowing what's happening to them or where they are.

"Ashley! I command you as the High King of Narnia to stay here!" I look at him, dead in the eye. He's being serious; dead serious. Never in my time with Peter has he ever commanded me as High King to do anything. I feel angry tears roll down my cheeks before splashing like rain drops onto the granite floor.

"Or what? You'll lock me in the stocks for a night? Put me in a catapult and throw me over to the other side of the world?" I push on furiously. He looks down at me angrily. I'm pushing his buttons purposely. I want to win this battle. I'm not going to give in easily.

"Or I'll lock you in the dungeon for a night. Perhaps a good dose of fear will put you in your place," he threatens; his voice even and harsh. I gape at him, absolutely shocked into place. He has never looked at me as someone lower than himself; he's always treated me like his equal, his missing half. It's out of character for him to talk about putting me into my place when we're talking about our family. I feel tears roll down my cheeks without my permission as I give up. I sit down on the chair that's next to me before putting my face in my hands and crying. Perhaps the pregnancy mood swings haven't worn off yet after all. I feel myself being lifted up in the same second before I'm placed onto the uncomfortable bed again. "I'm sorry, Ash. I can't risk you being hurt again though," Peter apologises in his gentle calming voice again.

"Just go. You don't have a second to lose," I tell him with a hoarse voice. I look up at him through watery eyes as he nods down at me. He leans down and gives me a quick, but passionate, kiss before he straightens up fully.

"I love you and I'll see you soon," he promises me. I smile slightly.

"I love you too," I reply. He smiles at me before quickly exiting the room. It feels like forever before Malina finally enters the empty, hospital room. When she does come in though, she's holding a tray full of fresh fruit. My stomach growls immediately, rendering me to immediately grabbing an apple when she's next to me.

"How are you feeling?" she asks as she takes a seat next to my bed.

"How am I feeling? I feel many things right now. Upset that my children are missing, extremely angry with my husband for not letting me go with him, happy that I don't have any more back pains and the list goes on," I answer with a grimace as I take a bite from the apple. She frowns at me before passing me a goblet filled with juice.

"Maybe this will make you feel better," she says. I take a sip. Orange and mango juice; it isn't my favourite but it does taste cool and refreshing.

"Thanks," I answer before I suddenly think of something. If Malina isn't here, maybe, just maybe, I can sneak out.

"Hey, Malina, I need to use the chamber pot, but it's too cold for me to get up without having my coat on. Could you maybe run back to the castle and get it for me? Peter left it in our bedroom," I ask innocently.

"Sure, Ash. I'll be back as soon as I can," she agrees happily. I smile.

"Thanks, Mal," I say before she quickly runs out of the room. Once she's out, I get off my bed and quietly sneak over to the window. I carefully open it to try and avoid making too much noise before poking my head out of it. The ground is right next to the window, much to my happiness. I smile before straightening up and looking behind me to make sure that no one's coming into my room. It's clear so I very carefully climb up onto the window seal before jumping off of it. I land easily with two feet on the ground before full on sprinting to the castle, while trying to ignore the shooting pain that runs throughout my abdomen. I need to collect my armour and sword before heading out alone into the forest. Peter will surely kill me for this, but, for now, the only thing on my mind is his safety and our babies.

Once I reach the castle, I slow down. I'm fine to wander around the castle normally, now that I'm away from the hospital. I just have to make sure that I don't bump into Malina as I'm walking through the hallways. I slip in through the golden, front doors casually before walking down to the armoury where we keep all the weapons and armour. I very quickly throw on my armour and grab my sword and shield before hurriedly running out of the armoury and to the stables. Once there I tear open the stable door and quickly grab Crystal's rope. I try pulling her outside but she just digs her hooves into the ground in utter denial.

"Come on, Crystal. My babies and husband are in trouble," I tell her in a stressed voice.

"Well you could've just said that," she retorts with a horsey neigh at the end. I jump up onto her before we head for the exit. Just as I'm about to get out though, who should walk in but Edmund. I have to say that I'm shocked to see him. I thought Peter would take Edmund along with him. Obviously he's so scared for everyone's safety that he has left all his family at home too. That thought makes me nervous. What if he thinks he's going to die? I'm not sure how I feel about that thought. A life without Peter is like a life without air, impossible.

"Hey, Ashley, where are you going?" Edmund asks me with a smirk, effectively pulling me out of my train of thought. I'm about to reply but he cuts in again. "Let me guess, you're sneaking out after Peter told you not to leave the room too." I look at him guiltily.

"Maybe." I smile innocently at him only to notice that he's wearing armour too. I suddenly realise that he had said "too" at the end of his sentence also. "Want to come with me?" I ask him, knowing that he's probably about to sneak out like me anyway. He's on a horse beside me before I even finish my sentence.

"Let's do this!" he says excitedly. I take that as an instant yes and quickly start Crystal again. We trot out of the stables and town together before pushing our horses forwards and rushing into the woods. I know exactly where to go first. If my children are still alive, then they'd be in the dungeon where Starstone took me when I was kidnapped. "Ashley, where exactly are we going?" Edmund asks me curiously after a while of riding. I take a quick glance at him. He looks a little bit confused.

"To the same dungeons that I got taken to when I was kidnapped," I reply, my voice cracking a little bit as the memories of that awful day swirls throughout my head.

"Oh...well at least you know where we're going and are not just randomly looking around the woods for any sign of life," he says. I smile.

"Yes, at least," I agree, even though, in reality, I have no idea where we're going. It goes silent then as we ride on through the creepy woods. It's starting to get dark and cold as well which doesn't help anything. After a while of riding in complete silence, we finally find the clearing where the door should be. "It should be around here," I tell him as I jump off Crystal and carefully take a few steps forward. I hear a small creak before the ground starts moving. I jump back and hold Edmund by my side as the door appears.

"Would you like me to go in first or would you like to lead the way?" Edmund offers. I smile at his gentlemanly question.

"I will, Edmund, but thanks for the offer," I answer before taking a few steps forward. I'm about to enter but think otherwise.

"What's wrong?" Edmund asks me as he comes to my side. I hold my finger to my lips before whispering,

"What if she's on the other side of this door?" His face suddenly holds understanding as he puts his ear to the door; I do the same. After listening for a few minutes very carefully through the door for any sign of Starstone or my babies, I open it. I grab Edmund's hand and drag him in before I hear the door close suddenly. I spin around quickly knowing for a fact that that didn't happen the last time I was here. "Did you just close the door?" I ask him. He shakes his head.

"Maybe it was the wind," he whispers back. I take that into consideration but look around anyway. I can't see anyone so I slowly turn back around and nudge Edmund forward. He does what I say and quietly starts walking forwards. I feel my heart race faster with each step closer I take to the cells where I was kept that time. I take a deep breath in as I look at the closed wooden door that had lead into a spare cell. That has to be a good sign. I rush forward and very quietly and carefully try opening the door. It won't budge, so I get out my small dagger and try fiddling with the lock. I hear the click as I hit the right spot and carefully take my dagger back out so I can put it away. I pretty much rip open the door then, expecting to see my babies locked away, what I see though isn't my children, but a tied up and frightened Emolise. I run forward and rip the rope away from her mouth quickly.

"Trap! It's a trap, Ashley! Get out of here NOW!" she screams at me instantly; tears flooding down her cheeks as she tries standing up.

"Emolise, calm down and be quiet before someone hears us. Now, quietly tell me what happened." I suddenly realise that her arms and legs are tied too and quickly get out my dagger again so that I can cut away the ropes. Once that's done, she scrambles up, pulling me along as well. "I'm so sorry, Ash. I should've told you where she was when I knew, but I couldn't! She threatened to kill me and my siblings if I said one word to anyone about it. I was already pushing my luck with telling Killara about her. I'm so sorry; but, seriously, you have to get out of here no -"

"Em. Emolise. Is someone in there with you?" we hear an ice-cold voice say. I hold my breath and bite my lip as I hear footsteps, or should I say hoovesteps, slowly approaching us. Edmund's at my side in an instant, pretty much trembling with sudden fear.

"Don't do or say anything, Edmund," I warn quietly through gritted teeth. Edmund nods to me in agreement, looking flat out frightened, his eyes filled with terror. He's the lucky one though; at least he gets to face the doorway and see who comes in. All I can do is stand in fright and pray that no one sneaks up on me since my back's turned to the doorway. Emolise looks truly terrified as tears flow down her face. I can't help but let my own fall as well. I should've listened to Peter. Why was I raised as such a disobedient child?

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Oh, I do believe it's King Edmund and High Queen Ashley. Not exactly the King I wanted to see, but I suppose you'll do," Starstone sneers as I hear her enter the cell. My breathing spikes as I plan my next move. There's no way I'm going to leave Em or Ed so that means I will be fighting her. Great. Just great. I move my left hand slowly to my sword hilt before spinning around. At the sight of her, I can't help but let angry tears roll down my cheeks. She has fresh blood on her and is holding a bloody knife. She killed them. That's my breaking point. I rip my sword out and hold it out in front me, threatening her. She just smiles at me. I take a step forwards, she takes a step backwards. I take another forward step, she takes another backwards one. It goes on like this until we're both fully out of the cell. This is a good thing; it means I have the upper hand.

"You killed them," I seethe through my teeth once I'm able to get over the sudden death of my children. She just smiles at me and pulls out her own sword before throwing her knife towards me. Luckily for me, I have quick reflexes due to dad's "fun" wrestling matches with me when I was a child. I duck down automatically, letting the knife fly over my head, before jumping back up again. Her smile never drops. I hear the smack of the knife as it smacks into the stone wall.

"Yes. Yes I did," she admits with a deadly smirk. I feel all the blood in my body race as she admits it, causing me to run forward in fury; my first and last mistake. I loosen the grip on my sword for one second, only to have her flick it out of my hands with her sword in the same second. It goes skidding across the floor as I come to an abrupt stop. She takes my shocked opportunity as a chance to push me onto the ground harshly. I smack my head and back against the rock floor hard before I try reaching for my sword, only to realise, after a dreaded second, that I can't reach it. I look up, only to see her dark, green eyes staring back down at me. "It's been a fun race, Ashley, I'll give you that, but maybe you should've learnt that listening to authority is usually a good thing." Her smile is deadly as she says it and I know that this is it. There's no way of getting out of this mess. I close my eyes and wait for the searing pain through my heart, but it never comes. No, what comes instead is the sound of a sword being drawn followed by the sickly scream of Starstone. I open my eyes quickly and look on shocked as she kneels there in front of my husband pleading for her life. "You don't understand, Your Majesty! I didn't commit any of the murders. I only did the kidnapping for the real enemies. Please, you can't kill me, King Peter! I don't deserve to die!" she screams at the top of her lungs at him. He isn't having any of that though. His blue eyes are dark and furious. His gaze could kill the air with its intensity. I scramble to my feet and stare on in shock as Peter speaks to her.

"Starstone. You have almost killed the love of my life on two occasions (you did kill her on another one). You killed my sister-in-law in cold-blooded murder. You threatened to kill your own daughter if she told anyone of your whereabouts. You murdered Ashley's parents and left her as an orphan and finally you have kidnapped and killed my children. No one will ever get away with that; ever. You touch or hurt any member of my family, you pay the price. You kill someone, then you shall die too."

"I didn't kill your children! I just kidnapped them and then gave them over to the rebels. They weren't going to kill them until Friday. I lied to Ashley to get her angry. They told me that they wanted you and Ashley both dead before they killed the babies. Don't ask me why, that's just what they told me. Please don't kill me, I didn't do anything." Peter's eyes blaze as she says the last few words causing him to flare up.

"You didn't do anything?! I just gave you the list of what you've done. You've wronged everyone in this room; you don't deserve to live anymore. Just be glad it's not me who's going to be taking your life though. I would've killed you slowly and painfully," he seethes at her. I'm suddenly very confused though. If Peter isn't going to kill her, then who is?

"You're not going to kill me?" she asks, suddenly amazed. He kneels down lower, keeping his sword at her neck.

"It's not my life to take." With those words he straightens up, his sword never leaving the place on her neck. "Ashley," he says simply, his voice even. I know that it's a command and quickly follow through. I smile, unable to hold in the joy of her death anymore and pick up my sword from the floor. I then walk over to them slowly before stopping at Peter's side. He gives me an angry glance. I know instantly that we will be having a very serious conversation once we get back to the castle about obeying commands. I turn to Starstone and hold the sword up before I risk a glance over to Oreius who's holding onto Emolise tightly. His eyes meet mine. I don't need to say anything to him; he automatically knows what I'm asking. He nods twice at me and visibly tightens his grip on a very scared Emolise. I turn my attention back to Starstone.

"This is for everything you've done to me. All the pain you've put your family, Peter, and I through. I will be glad to get rid of you and so will the majority of creatures who live in this country." With those words I thrust the sword down and stab her in the heart before pulling it back out and slicing off her head for extra measure. I feel relief pour over me once I'm done. She's dead and never coming back. I hear sobs come from beside me then and notice Oreius cuddling a crying Emolise in comfort. I hand the sword back to Peter without a word to him before slowly walking over to them. Once I'm a few feet away, I stop.

"I'm sorry, Oreius and Emolise. I hope that, someday, you'll be able to forgive me for this," I apologise before turning back around and slowly walking back over to a furious looking Peter.

"Wait, Ashley," I hear Oreius' deep voice say. I stop and spin around quickly. They're both standing there with gentle smiles on their faces. I can see, just by looking at them, that I'm forgiven.

"Yes," I answer with a shaky voice. I can see Oreius take a deep breath in before walking towards me. He stops a few inches away before grabbing me into a tight, centaur hug.

"Thank you for saving my family and myself. Starstone had lost her head and would've killed every single one of us if it wasn't for you and His Majesty," at this he bows to Peter, "as sad as it is to see her go, I'm also relieved. We don't have to hide most of our lives anymore. Everything in my home and with my family can go back to normal now and, for that, you have my greatest appreciation," he tells me. I smile at him and give him another tight squeeze before letting him go and walking over to Em.

"I'm sorry, Em," I say before giving her a tight hug and pulling away.

"It's okay. Thank you for saving me. You're a true friend, Ash. I don't know what I would do without you, even though I'm going to miss my mother. I know she was dangerous, and, by the look of her when she came into the cell, she was about to kill me, so thanks and you're forgiven," she tells me, her voice cracking a tiny bit in the middle. I smile tenderly at her before Oreius tells her that they're going home to check on all her siblings. She gives me another hug goodbye before quickly leaving me alone to face my doom. I slowly turn around and walk over to Peter with my head down to make sure that I don't make eye contact with him. I know he's angry at me. I can feel the anger radiating off him in waves as I get closer and closer. Once I'm standing in front of him, I stop. There's a silence between us that seems to go on and on. The other voices in the room die down after a while before it goes completely silent. I can hear the owls outside, hooting in the night, just before Peter starts talking.

"Do you realise how absolutely, infuriated I am with you?" he asks me. I nod guiltily.

"Yes, I do," I answer. I feel his warm fingers encircle my chin before he lifts my head up so that I can look at him.

"What in your right mind were you thinking when you snuck out of the hospital and came here; with Edmund may I add? You nearly got yourself killed and I can guarantee you that Aslan wouldn't have let you come back again if you would've died, Ashley. I just can't believe you did this," he tells me furiously. I feel tears well up in my eyes as he says it.

"To answer your question, I was thinking that it was stupid of my husband to go out there and get himself killed. I was thinking about the well-being of our babies. I couldn't just sit back and wait for you to get back, not knowing what was happening the whole time you were gone. I had to help. I'm the High Queen, a lady, and your wife and I expect to be treated as such. Being the High Queen it's my duty to help you out in every way possible. If that means sneaking out of a hospital to come and fight a bad guy, or girl in this case, then that's what I'll do. You can't stop me from helping you and being worried about you," I explain to him through sobs.

"You don't realise how scared I was when I found you on the floor with Starstone above you about to kill you. If I would've come a second later you would've been dead and I don't think I could've lived with myself if anything ever happened to you again. I was wrong for shouting at you in the hospital and I was wrong for commanding you to stay there, I should've let you come with me. You would've been safer having me and all the knights with you as you came here instead of having pretty much no one," he apologises – at least I think it's an apology. I smile through watery eyes before falling forward and hugging him. He hugs me tightly back before I suddenly think of something.

"Starstone mentioned, before I killed her, that our babies are still alive. Peter we need to find them before they kill them," I urge him before unwrapping his arms from around me. "Edmund, go back to the castle, alert everyone to Starstone's death, and tell them we'll be back as soon as we find our children," I command while looking over my shoulder at him. He nods once.

"Got it and, Pete, Ash? Be careful, you're fighting fire with fire right now," he says before running out. I look at Peter with a sorrowful expression then before nodding once to him and running outside. It's dark outside; almost black. The moon is high in the sky and there is a gentle mist flowing over the surface of the ground like a river. Luckily, Crystal is still there next to Midnight. They're both asleep already though, much to my disappointment.

"Ashley!" Peter calls as he runs out a few minutes later. I spin around to face him.

"Yes," I reply curtly.

"Listen, I think we should stay around this area for the rest of the night. It's an hour's horse ride back to Cair Paravel from here. If you also count in the amount of time it takes to wake up the horses and get through the city gates at this hour you're looking at around an hour and a half to two hours. It's not worth it, especially when we'll be coming back here in the morning," he explains. I think about what he has said for a moment.

"Okay then," I agree. "But I don't want to sleep in the dungeon," I add on as clarification. He grimaces. I look at him with wide eyes. "Seriously, you wanted me to sleep in there?" He nods and smiles guiltily.

"In that case, let's just stay out here. We'll cuddle up to the horses for the night," he suggests. I sigh and nod. Peter grabs my hand then and leads me over to the horses. They're lying down for a change, probably both tired from standing in the same spot for so long. They're lying along the edge of the woods which, I have to admit, scares me a little bit. I'm not so keen on lying down and sleeping along the outskirts of the forest with no way of knowing whether something is lurking around me or not. My grip on Peters hand tightens as we approach the horses. He sits down on the ground next to them before lying down so that his head's on Crystal's stomach. He opens his arms to me. I'm about to lay down when I hear a voice.

"Psst! High Queen Ashley!" the voice says. I spin around expecting to see someone but come up empty. I turn back to Peter. "Pssssst! High Queen Ashley! Up here!" the voice says again. I look up at the tree above me. I can't see anything and I'm certain that Peter probably thinks I'm a freak right about now.

"Alright, either I'm getting paranoid or there's really something in the tree above us talking to me," I say to Peter, still looking up at the tree.

"Honey, I don't think anything is there. Come on, you need to sleep. You haven't had very much over the past weeks and tomorrow is going to be a full on day," he tells me. I sigh and look at him.

"Okay then, if you say so," I agree. I feel something light land swiftly on my shoulder then.

"Queen Ashley!" I scream loudly as the voice echoes loudly throughout my ear. I look at my shoulder only to jump a little bit as I notice Peppy the Squirrel sitting on it.

"Peppy! You almost gave me a heart attack!" I complain as I wait for my heart to calm down and get back to normal.

"Sorry, Your Majesty, my greatest apologises," he says with a bow. "I just overheard your conversation with His Majesty though and thought that maybe if you slept indoors it would be a little bit safer for the both of you. There have been some mysterious figures walking around these areas lately and with Your Majesties high rankings on the throne, I figured maybe you'd like to sleep somewhere a little bit cosier and safe," he explains. I raise an eyebrow.

"Safe?" I repeat. The little squirrel bobs his head up and down like a mad man making his entire body jump a little bit. He kind of looks spastic right now.

"Mr. Squirrel...um...Peppy, we're not going to sleep in a hole in a tree if that's what you mean," Peter cuts in before Peppy can answer my question.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, King Peter! More of a tree house type of thing. Follow me!" he exclaims excitedly. I grin and am about to listen to his directions when I hear someone start speaking.

"Did we miss something?" I hear a drowsy female voice ask from behind Peter. I smile at Crystal.

"Peppy's showing us somewhere where we can stay for the night," I answer her with a smirk. She yawns and stretches before standing up causing Peter to jump up quickly and move away from her. I can't help but let out a small laugh. "You and Midnight are coming, Crystal. We'll need you tomorrow," I tell her. She nods as she neighs, automatically waking up Midnight.

"Huh, where are we going?" Midnight asks, tossing his head in Peter's general direction.

"We're following a squirrel that is going to lead us to some shelter for the night," Peter tells him. Midnight stands up once Peter says that and comes over to stand next to Crystal who's standing next to me.

"If Your Majesties are ready..." Peppy trails off.

"Alright, let's go," I agree eagerly. Even with my armour on, I'm still starting to get cold. Peppy jumps off my shoulder and swiftly lands on a tree trunk before saying "follow me" and jumping a few trees ahead. I smile at Peter and grab his hand before we start walking, or should I say running, to keep up with the crazy squirrel. Peppy leads us crazily through the forest until he suddenly stops. We stop quickly too.

"In there," he says as he points to a little stone house that is built around the trunk of a great, oak tree. I smile and walk forward until I'm standing directly in front of the wooden door. I tap three times on it before I hear some scuffling coming from the other side of the door.

"Boys, stop it," a female voice says before the door opens revealing a large, white and black badger.

"Oh, Queen Ashley! What a pleasant surprise to see you here at this hour," she exclaims as she curtseys to me. I smile at her. "What can I do for you?" she asks once she's up properly again.

"My husband and I are in search for our missing babies, but we have nowhere to stay for the night. You wouldn't happen to have any room for us to stay for the night would you?" I ask her. She smiles tenderly at me.

"We do have a spare room if you'd like to have it for the night," she agrees. I take a glance over my shoulder to Peter.

"Will we even fit in the house?" he asks unsure. I laugh.

"You obviously have never been in a tree house in Narnia before. They are quite large inside and I usually find that I'm able to stand up almost straight in quite a few of them. We'll be fine," I reassure him. He smiles at me.

"Whatever you like," he replies. I turn my attention back to Bethany.

"We'd love to stay with you if that's okay," I say quickly. She smiles at me and quickly scurries out of the way so that we can get in. I'm not wrong about the place being spacious. Yes, I do have to duck down a little bit, but it isn't too bad. It's fairly cosy. In one corner of the room is a small kitchen and a rustic looking dining table. In the other corner of the room is a large, brown, wooden seat with colourful cushions on it. Next to the seat is a small wooden bookshelf flooded with books. There's also a small fireplace along the wall and a large, beige rug on the floor. A few, small shelves, which are covered in photos and knick-knacks, lined the walls to finish off the room. Bethany leads us through the room and to a small, closed door once my assessment of the room is finished. She opens it to reveal a good, sized bedroom that consists of a small, double bed and a closet.

"This is your room," she tells us as she lets us pass. I smile.

"Thank you. It's perfect for the night," I thank her as I turn to face her. She smiles at Peter and I.

"Good, would you like anything to eat or drink? I have some fresh grubs or insects if you like," she offers.

"Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Badger, but my wife and I must really get some rest if we're to rescue our babies tomorrow," Peter explains. I grimace but agree with him anyway.

"Okay then. If you need anything, just give me a shout," she tells us before curtseying and leaving. As soon as the door is closed, I lay down on the bed. It's a lot more comfortable than those beds in the hospital and I feel myself already starting to dose off when Peter suddenly speaks.

"So what are the plans for tomorrow? I'm guessing you know every square corner of this country. Where do you think rebels would hide out?" he asks as he wounds his arms around my waist and pulls me into him. I think about it for a second.

"Probably the mountains are our best shot. A lot of the rebels hide in the caves or underground caverns that are hidden in the mountains around the country. I think our best shot would be to start off somewhere remote and work our way in," I reply as I feel my eyes close of their own accord. I feel Peter shift underneath me before I'm cuddled up fully in his embrace.

"Thank you for telling me. Now go to sleep. I love you," he whispers in my ear. I smile.

"I love you too," I manage to mumble back before I fall into a deep slumber.


	23. Findings

I get up the next morning extremely early, my mind being too active to sleep, causing me to sit up in the bed and stretch out all my stiff limbs. Once I have rubbed my eyes a little bit, I look beside me. Peter's still sound asleep. As much as we're in a hurry, the sun hasn't even started to show yet. I decide not to wake him up yet and carefully get out of the bed. I forget how low the ceiling is though and end up bashing my head on it as I try to stand up. I decide to go outside for a bit to get some fresh air and to look around the area which we have been brought to. I put on my dress again, since I slept in my undergarments, before quickly waddling over to the door. I open it quietly before closing it again and walking over to the front door. Once I open that, I step out into the open forest. It feels good to be able to stand up straight again, so, to stretch out my limbs fully, I go for a little walk. About halfway down the dirt path I discover a small clearing. Even in the darkness, the place seems extremely eerie. I don't trust the area for one second, which is why I walk forward to investigate it. The grass is fairly long and you can't see half the ground as you walk across it, due to a low mist that hovers over the surface of the grass. As I get closer to the centre of the field, I start to hear very faint voices. I kneel down in the wet grass before putting my ear to the ground and listening intently. I immediately pick up on a very faint discussion.

"She got killed! We have to do something with these things before the King and Queen get here," I hear a low voice grumble. There are faint murmurs of agreement.

"They won't know what hit them when they come here," a low female voice says before I hear the faint sound of shuffling feet.

"We need a plan of action," a raspy (but kind of familiar) voice sounds.

"Perhaps we should consider leaving the woods and heading back up into the mountains. There are too many creatures out here in the forest that support the Royal Family for us to stay hidden here for much longer, especially as the babies get more tired and hungry. They will start crying harder and more frequently, and we need to make sure that no prying ears will be able to hear anything that will prove that we are here or we are done for." The low voice seems to echo throughout the small clearing, instantly alerting me to the fact that there has to be an entrance into this cave somewhere around the area. I get up off the ground slowly and carefully begin to creep around the area. I go to step on what I think is a supported rock, only to slip my foot into an opening in the ground. I smile triumphantly, once I have gotten my footing back, before getting down onto my hands and knees to see more clearly.

It's a very large opening, large enough for me to easily climb down into. Rocks are very carefully placed around the outside of it, so carefully, in fact, that if you weren't looking for the cave, you probably wouldn't even realise that there is anything there. I carefully look down into the opening only to come up short. It's still too dark for me to be able to see anything outside clearly, let alone the inside of a cave. I very carefully get up before I hear shouts coming from behind me. I spin around, ready to defend myself, only to realise that I have forgotten to take a sword or shield with me before I left the badgers' home. So I stand up, straight and proud, as I wait for the creatures to approach me. I immediately relax as I see the familiar figure of my husband and the white stripes on the badgers' faces.

"Way to give me a heart attack," I tease as they come up close enough for me to talk face to face with them. No one is in a joking mood though and I immediately guess why. "I'm sorry I snuck away," I apologise while trying to avoid making eye contact with Peter.

"You could've at least told me where you were going! I thought someone had taken you!" he shouts at me. I'm about to reply when I hear running and shouting coming from the cave. I look over my shoulder before quickly looking back to Peter.

"We need to get out of here; now!" I shout at them as I pick up Bethany and run into the shrubbery. I hear Peter following closely behind me before I stop and duck down behind a large boulder. I put the badger down before turning to face him. "I can explain," I whisper as loudly as I dare.

"Ashley, you'd better have a good explanation as to why we're hiding behind a boulder," he furiously whispers back. I grimace.

"They have our babies," I murmur. I hear Peter take a sharp intake of breath as I tell him that. He instantly stands up, sword ready, before walking around the boulder and going forward. "Peter, are you insane!? You're walking right into their trap!" I whisper furiously. He instantly stops and turns to look at me.

"So you just want to let them go? Seriously? Come on, Ashley, we have to do something!" he exclaims. I look down at Bethany, who glances over to her husband.

"We should do something, Queen Ashley," he agrees softly. Peter stands there for a few seconds before quietly sneaking back over to me. The creatures come running out crazily from their underground cave then and I breathe a sigh of relief once Peter is by my side.

"We need a plan. If we just run out there and start attacking them then I know they're going to kill the babies instantly. We can't do that!" I whisper to him as calmly as is possible at the moment.

"Fine, we'll figure out a plan first. Let's head back over to the badgers home where we're not likely to be overheard," he agrees. He grabs my hand instantly and carefully pulls me away from the boulder and into the dark, green thicket. The badgers follow us as we run as quietly as possible back over to their home. As soon as we're inside, Peter sits me down before taking a seat next to me. The badgers sit opposite us.

"Well to start off with you all probably would like to know that there are four of them. I heard them talking in their cave. So I think we'd be better off to take them down one at a time. It'd be easier and our children wouldn't be in as much danger if we killed them off like that," I suggest quickly knowing that we only have a little while left before they're planning on leaving. Everyone in the room instantly agrees with me.

"How are we going to be able to separate them though?" Mr. Badger, Barrel, asks. I smile at him.

"By using distractions," I state simply.

"What kind of distractions?" Bethany inquires curiously. I grin at her.

We're squatting down behind the big boulder again. Peter and I have taken off our crowns and put on some old rags over our royal clothing to avoid any unwanted attention, whilst the badgers have gone to all lengths to make sure they're looking as revolting as possible. We're watching them. All four of them, like I had suspected, are huddled around in a circle. Peter has to hold me down and keep his hand over my mouth to avoid me from running out there and killing them all.

"Calm down," Peter reminds me quietly as he whispers in my ear. My heart's beating a million beats a minute as a Centaur from the group starts walking away. I briefly wonder when Centaurs had decided to join the bad side while trying to get a better look at him. He looks awfully familiar, but I can't figure out where I have seen him before.

"Does that Centaur look familiar to you too?" I try asking Peter.

"What did you say?" he asks me as he removes his hand. I roll my eyes at him.

"That Centaur, does he look familiar to you too?" I ask him as I nod my head in the vague direction of him. Peter takes a glance over the rock before his eyes widen. He gets back down to my level before whispering a name into my ear. "Edmauel."

My eyes widen in shock before whispering, "Are you sure?" back to him. He nods.

"I know what the guards outside my bedroom look like, Ash. I see them almost every day," he whispers back. I grimace before realising how much sense that actually makes. No wonder Starstone always knew when I was in Peter's bedroom with him; Edmauel told her everything since he was always guarding Peter's room. That's how she knew when Peter was out at night too. As I'm thinking over these things, Edmauel has managed to vanish into the cave before quickly coming out a few minutes later, running away as fast he can while carrying something. Peter and I are about to jump up and attack them all when we hear the sound of crying babies vanish with him, but the badgers hold us down.

"They'll be on you in a second," Bethany murmurs as she reminds us of the group of creatures that are gathered. I feel my eyes well up with tears before I look over to Peter. He wipes some stray ones away with his thumb before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the thicket. He leads me inside it before we start running quickly in the vague direction Edmauel has gone. We can instantly hear the sounds of horse hooves following us, causing me to turn around. I pull out my sword, ready to defend myself, just as Midnight and Crystal come into view. I put my sword back with a large sigh of relief before I immediately hoist myself up onto her.

"Crystal, go!" I command her after a minute of struggling with her. She snorts at me.

"I'm not going anywhere until Midnight does," she tells me straight out while turning her head lovingly towards Midnight who's taking a drink from a nearby stream. I can see Peter starting to get frustrated at him too. He's screaming at the poor horse. Of course Midnight is ignoring him.

"I. Don't. Care. Just. Go," I get out through gritted teeth. I hear her murmur a few things about me being the worst Queen ever before she starts slowly trotting.

"Your Majesties, you are going to be so proud of us," I hear Barrel say as I look down at the floor beside me. In his hands is the head of the hag. I beam brightly at him before calling Peter over. As soon as Peter's with us he congratulates the badger.

"Good work," I compliment before looking ahead of me again. "We have to get going though. Try killing the other two for us. We'll meet you back at the house later," I promise before quickly kicking Crystal's side and starting forward. I hear Peter catch up within a few minutes before we reach the edge of the forest. We're on a hill that overlooks all of Narnia. Usually I would've been taken away by the view, but, right now, I jump down off Crystal and walk over to the edge of the hill. It's very steep, much to my disappointment.

"We can't get down. A Centaur could, but we can't," I murmur softly as I place myself down on the ground. Peter comes and sits down beside me before putting his arm comfortingly around me. I take one look at him and burst out crying.

"We'll find them," he whispers in my ear before kissing my cheek. I wipe the tears away with my fingers before standing up.

"What if we don't?" I shoot back before jumping back onto Crystal. "I'm going to scan the forest and see if I can find any evidence on where they've gone. I'll catch up with you later," I murmur before kicking Crystal's side and heading off into the forest again. I ride east for a little bit before turning a little bit and heading north. I ride on for hours, always keeping my eyes open and looking out for any sign of Brenton and Annabella, only to come up short when I think of a new place to look. Eventually I have to take a break. My back and legs are starting to kill me as I jump down off Crystal and lead her into an opening in the forest.

I sit down on a rock, emotionally and physically drained from the day. The sun's starting to go down and I know that I will have to leave soon. I casually look around at my surroundings for the first time. I'm sitting down on a rock in a beautiful meadow; a soft wind is blowing through my long, brown hair as a few of the sun's rays reach down through the branches of the large oak tree I'm leaning against and beam down on my head. There's a gentle, bright-blue stream beside me and flowers of all colours surrounding me. I pick a few of them just as a large shadow looms over me. I turn my head around a tiny bit to notice Peter watching me intently. His blue eyes hold sadness. I look down at my reflection in the crystal clear water of the stream and sigh. I look just as sad as he does. He walks forwards towards me and sits down casually on the rock beside me. I feel his arm wrap tenderly around my waist as I lean my head on his shoulder. A few tears trickle down my cheeks as he gently kisses my head.

"Are we ever going to find them?" I ask sadly. He thinks over my question quietly before answering me.

"We will. I promise I won't let anything happen to them." I nod softly. He smiles faintly and encircles his other arm around me so that I'm curled up in his arms. "I love you," he tells me. I smile at his words.

"I love you too." I spin my head around a little bit so that I can kiss him on the lips. He happily accepts and quickly grabs my lips with his. The kiss is gentle and loving, full of reassurance. I smile against his lips. He gently pulls away, but keeps me in a tight hug. I feel myself shake a little bit with cold as the wind starts to pick up and blow dark clouds over our heads, blocking out all the sunlight. The meadow grows dark very quickly. I continue to shake and suddenly start to hear familiar voices. They're very faint, but still there. Actually, I wouldn't even call them voices, more like very familiar cries, coming from the direction of a close by mountain.

I instantly shoot up to my feet and literally dart over to Crystal. I jump up onto her before calling out to Peter. "Follow me!" I don't even wait for a response, I just take off towards the source of the cries. I ride on straight ahead for about ten minutes before coming to an abrupt stop in front of the mountain range. The crying has gotten louder and louder as I get closer and closer to the mountains causing my smile to get bigger and bigger. I jump off Crystal before walking over to the mountain wall as I instantly start looking for some kind of entrance.

"Ashley, you know there's a large opening in the mountain over there, right?" Peter tells me after I have been searching the rock wall for five minutes. I spin around and blush as I realise that he's right.

"I knew that," I murmur as I walk swiftly past him and to the dark cave. I hear him sigh before I hear the gentle sound of his footsteps following me. I look briefly inside the big, black cave. There's no way I'm going in there without some source of light.

"Your Majesties, we thought you would like some lights since it's starting to get dark again, so we brought you these," I hear Bethany say as the rustling sound of her running along the dead leaves on the ground finally reaches me. I turn around and kneel down to her level briefly to grab the flaming stick. "And by the way, Mr. Badger killed the strange wolf like thing and the ogre. It's only the centaur left now," she tells me. I smile at her.

"Thank you," I murmur before turning back around and facing the large cave. My babies are still crying and it's very clear now that they're in there.

"Are you prepared to fight your own bedroom guard?" I ask Peter as he comes to stand beside me. He laces his fingers with mine as he takes a deep breath in.

"Yes, I am. I just hope we're not too late by the time we get in there," he replies. I grimace before slowly walking forward with him into the darkness. The cave is freezing. I feel all the bones in my body start shaking with cold even with three layers of clothing on. I also notice how much smaller it is getting as Peter and I walk deeper and deeper into it. By the time we hit the first corner of it, we're practically shoulder to shoulder in the small hollow. I wonder how Edmauel has managed to get into it with his height and width. The cave ceiling is quite high I guess. After a few minutes of not being able to hear anything but our children's cries of distress, I finally hear someone talking.

"Shut up you, lousy baby! Honestly, do you want to be found?" It's Edmauel and I instantly feel all the blood in my body boil as I hear him talking to my helpless children. The crying doesn't cease, in fact, it only gets louder as Peter and I get closer. After a few more minutes, a large, hollow, rock room comes into view. Peter and I instantly blow out our torches and duck down; trying to be as quiet and still as possible as we watch Edmauel tearing his hair out at the sound of our babies non-stop, high-pitched squealing. My eyes are only trained on him for a second though, before they quickly rest on the sight of two, little, moving bundles over in the corner of the room. I move an inch to try and get a better look at them only to have my foot slip the tiniest bit on a rock. Uh oh. That tiny slip makes me fall into the room, scaring Edmauel half to death in the process. Peter's instantly on his feet, sword in hand, whilst I stumble to my feet and grab my sword. I hold it forward menacingly as Edmauel casually walks over to us.

"Give us our children, NOW!" Peter seethes as he takes a few steps towards him. Edmauel stops dead in his tracks before letting out a long sigh of relief.

"You want your children? Fine, take them! I can't take the crying anymore! It's driving me nuts! I mean, honestly, you think they would've lost their voices by now!" he whines as he goes over and grabs them before walking back over to us. "Stupid Starstone for making me do this," I think I hear him say as he thrusts them towards us, each baby laying very awkwardly in each of his large hands as they weep loudly.

"Really? You're just going to give them to us without even a fight?" I ask him shocked into place. Edmauel gives me a strange look.

"I thought you wanted to have your babies back again, not get into a fight with an old guard!" he exclaims. I give Peter an unsure glance. He nods, reading the hesitation on my face as easily as if I'm an open book. He lean forward a little bit, sword pointed directly at Edmauels' heart, ready to stab him if he tries anything funny. I carefully put my sword back in its sheath, feeling a little bit more confident, before taking a step forward and grabbing Brenton. I instantly cradle him against my chest before doing the same with Annabella. I immediately retreat a few steps while Peter stays put in place.

"Ashley, go outside with the babies. I have some unfinished business to attend to," Peter commands me in a voice that's not subject for disagreement. I'm only too happy to comply though. My angels are still crying their little hearts out. I know immediately that they need to be bathed and fed. I leave quickly, trying to follow the cave wall through the darkness until a dim light comes into view. As soon as I'm outside in the forest, I breathe out a sigh of relief. Bethany is waiting for me there, sitting on a small rock with a wooden bucket at her feet, full of water I might add, and a small fire cooking the night air with warm heat and a yellow glow. She smiles at me and that's all I need before I know exactly what the water is for. I smile my first genuine smile of the day before sitting down on another larger rock that's next to her. I instantly pass Annabella over to her to be bathed before quickly nursing Brenton.

"So how did it go? Is the centaur dead?" Bethany asks after a few minutes of Annabella's soft whimpers and Brenton's quiet nursing.

"It was strange you know; he just handed them over to us without an argument. It was like he didn't want to be a part of the kidnapping in any way, shape, or form, and he wasn't dead when I left, but I can imagine that he's probably gone by now. There's no way Peter would've let him get away with it," I explain while thinking back to Edmauel's more than grateful expression when I took the babies away from him.

"Well he did deserve it after what he did. You want to go against the High's then you're not going to live," she states evidently. I chuckle a little bit as she finishes drying off Annabella. We switch babies and I must say that I sigh with relief when I see that Annabella doesn't have any scratches or bruises on her. After a few more minutes, Peter exits the cave, instantly coming over to my side to stroke Annabella's soft head as she nurses and wipes away the tears that are rolling slowly down my cheeks.

"I love you," he tells me as he kisses my head softly. I smile and lay my head on his shoulder.

"I love you too," I say while looking at him through watery eyes as Bethany hands him Brenton. Everything around us vanishes almost immediately. I have completely forgotten about that fact that we're out in the middle of nowhere and hidden deep in the forest. It's just our little family and I couldn't be any happier. I sigh a little as I notice that Brenton is unscathed too before I hear the soft pitter-patter of Barrel's feet on the dead leaves as it approaches us.

"Thank you, Barrel, for killing all those creatures for us. That was very courageous of you. I honour creatures like you and it would be my great honour to knight you in Cair Paravel tomorrow for you courage," Peter thanks him as Barrel strolls forward to sit next to his wife. His eyes are wide with excitement as he looks at Peter.

"Oh thank you, King Peter! It would be my honour to be knighted and also I'm very glad to see that you have your children back too," he says. Peter and I both smile at our little friend before curiosity gets the better of me.

"How did you kill them?" I ask curiously while rocking slowly from side to side, trying to get my baby to fall asleep. She's staring up at me with wide eyes, smiling slightly. I can't help but smile back.

"Let's just say that I have a lot of forest friends who would do anything to help Your Majesties..." he trails off. I laugh slightly before turning to Peter.

"Did you kill Edmauel?" I inquire, frowning at the large cut he has above his eyebrow as blood pours in little streams down his face. Bethany's already trying to clean it up; it doesn't make me feel any better though.

"No, as soon as you left he stabbed himself in the heart. I'm not too sure why though. I was going to let him live, but he would've been in the dungeons for quite a long time. I'm glad you left when you did. It wasn't a very pretty sight," he tells me solemnly. I frown, but am too concerned with his cut to be able to fully come up with a reply. I yawn loudly then before taking a glance down at my daughter. She's fast asleep, all cuddled up and warm in my arms, completely oblivious to the world around her. I'm admittedly jealous of her. I'm drained mentally, emotionally, and physically. A long peaceful sleep might do me some good. "What do you say we head back to the castle tomorrow? I don't know about you, but I don't think I'm going to be able to ride all the way there tonight," Peter says before yawning loudly himself. I smirk.

"My thoughts exactly," I agree as Bethany offers to take Annabella from me. I reluctantly hand her over and instantly cuddle up on Peter's lap once he has handed Brenton over. He wraps his arms around me tenderly and leans back against the tree that's behind our boulder. I smile brightly as I let a peaceful sleep overcome me for the first time in what feels like ages.


	24. Adoption

I wake up early the next morning to the sound of one of my babies crying. I rub my eyes and stretch out all my stiff limbs before jumping off of Peter's lap and going and fetching Brenton from the small, grass basket that the badgers have brought over for us. I pick him up and hold him against me before I nurse him. Once he's done, I take him for a little walk so that I can get a good look around the area which we are in. A large, green forest is on one side of us and a large, snow-capped mountain is on the other. Okay, so there isn't much around, but I can hear the distant sound of a waterfall and the unmistakable sounds of laughing and screaming children coming from the same direction as the waterfall. I know we're near Glasswater Creek. I briefly wonder what the time is as I notice Peter starting to wake up. I walk over to him and smile before kissing his cheek.

"Good morning, Mr Pevensie," I say happily as he opens one eye to peek at me.

"It most certainly is," he replies with a smirk. I smile at him before looking up to the sky to try and work out the time from the sun.

"Should we start heading back to the castle now? It looks like it's around eleven and I would like to be home before it gets too late," I ask as I hand Brenton over to him. He nods and smiles at me before I go and grab Annabella.

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go," he agrees just as I walk over to where Crystal is sleeping with Midnight. I stop mid-step, suddenly confused as to how in Narnia we're going to get the babies back home. We can't go horse back while trying to hold a baby in one arm, that would be stupid and irresponsible of us, but we also can't walk back to the castle. That will mean another day trip and I really don't have the time or patience for that.

"Peter, how do we plan to get the babies home from here?" I ask him while turning around to look at him. He's lost in thought for a moment, obviously trying to consider all the options we have.

"We can't. We'll send a message to Cair Paravel and ask a centaur or two to come and pick them up for us so that we can ride the horses back. Perhaps some of your friends might come and help us out. How many centaur friends have you got that work in the castle?" he asks as he gets up and walks over to me. I think of all my friends. Emolise is one, but I'm not sure she will ever do anything for me again, and, besides, I'm certain that she's still trying to get over everything that has happened to her over the past few months; Killara and Cabigail are the other two. I guess that they will probably be my best bet.

"I have two, Killara and Cabigail," I tell him. He nods.

"Okay then. Now, you've lived in Narnia all your life, how do you send a message out if you don't have any paper?" he questions as he walks over to me. If there's one thing that I know about Narnia, it's that there are messenger birds everywhere, which is why you have to be so careful when talking to someone in private. Most of the messenger birds are loud and awfully bothersome.

"Messenger parrots. Shout the word 'message' and one will come in an instant. Just make sure that you hold your spare arm up so that he can land on something," I reply with a grin. He does what I tell him. A second after Peter has called out, a brightly coloured parrot instantly flies into the open space and lands on the spare arm that he's holding up. It squawks happily.

"What message can I send, squawk, for Your Majesty, squawk?" it asks as it bows its head a little bit. I bite the inside of my cheek a little bit to keep from laughing at Peters face. He hasn't really dealt with messenger parrots yet and he seems quite surprised and shocked as he looks at it.

"I have a message for Killara and Cabigail; they're servants in Cair Paravel. Tell them that Ashley and Peter need some help carrying the twins back to the castle and that they're waiting for them up at the waterfall near Glasswater Creek," he tells the parrot once his odd shock has worn off.

"Dear Killara and, squawk, Cabigail. Peter and Ashley, squawk, need help carrying the twins, squawk, back to Cair Paravel, squawk. They are waiting up at the waterfall, squawk, near Glasswater Creek, squawk," it repeats to ensure that it got the message right. Peter nods.

"Perfect, thank you!" he answers. The happy parrot bows again and happily flies away above the tree line. It will take that bird only a few minutes to get to the castle which means that the girls will be here in about an hour and a bit.

"What would you like to do?" I ask Peter as the babies fall asleep in our arms again. He thinks about it for a minute.

"Why don't we go over to the waterfall? I can hear some children playing and I'm sure they would love a surprise visit from us," he suggests with a smile. I nod.

"Sounds like a plan," I agree before walking over to Crystal. I pat her nose a little bit until she opens up one eye to look at me. She looks tired and bored and extremely annoyed at being woken up at this time.

"What?" she inquires miserably. I raise an eyebrow at her bluntness.

"We're heading over to the waterfall. Feel free to come if you like!" I offer before walking back over to Peter and grabbing his hand. He pulls me through the woods a little bit until we come out into a large opening. The first thing I notice is the gleeful waterfall. It's only small, but it's big enough for the children to play under. The water is a sparkling blue and the pool underneath it looks cool and inviting. The next thing I notice is that the children playing there are all from the orphanage. I recognise some of the faces instantly, but the main one I recognise is Brianna's; the little girl from my coronation that had happily given me a bouquet of Green Jades, the rarest kind of flower in all of Narnia. She's swimming around by herself under the main spray of the fall, whilst all of the other children splash around in the shallower part of the pool. I hear Mrs. Finkel's voice then and look over to her. She's standing in front of a little wooden seat, which has old carvings on the arm rests, and bows as soon as she notices me looking at her.

"Your Majesties! Of what do I owe the pleasure?" she asks as Peter gestures her forward. She quickly comes over to us before bowing again.

"We were in the area and heard the children playing, so we thought we'd come and surprise them," I explain with a happy smile. She smiles back and instantly calls the children over. Within two seconds of them all spying us, we're suddenly surrounded. It's pretty cute how they're all quiet as soon as they see the babies though and I happily hold Annabella down a little bit lower so that some of the smaller children can see her clearly. They're all very gentle with her as they look at her. None of the children are any older than eight or nine years old. Once they all have a look, I finally notice Brianna sitting on the wooden seat all by herself.

"What's wrong with Brianna?" I ask Mrs. Finkel. She frowns a little bit when she notices her herself before looking over to me.

"Could I talk to you over here away from the children, Your Majesty?" she politely asks with a slight bow of her head. I nod and hand Annabella over to Peter before following her along the stream a bit. We cross over a small, ancient, wooden bridge after a second so that we're on the opposite side to Peter and the children. We walk back up stream again so that we can clearly see my husband messing around with the children. She sits down on a large rock and I instantly follow her lead. "Brianna's very shy. She doesn't tend to speak to people she doesn't know. She usually shies away from large groups too. She's never been the same since she found out that her parents had actually died. All those years of hoping she would meet them suddenly got completely destroyed," she explains. I take all of this into consideration while looking at Brianna.

"How long ago did she find that out?" I inquire as I look back to Mrs Finkel. I can see her counting backwards in her head a little bit before she replies,

"About three months ago. She's been an orphan since she was only three days old though," she answers with a slight grimace. "The poor dear thought that one day her and her parents would be reunited and that they might be able to be a family, but sadly that will never be." I look back over to Brianna then doleful. I know exactly how that little girl feels. She's staring unhappily back at me. I grimace.

"She seems upset about something recent though," I murmur. That's when Mrs. Finkel laughs and I turn to her with a look of confusion on my face.

"No, she's not upset anymore! She's moved on. She understands that she'll never get her parents back again. Seven year old children are very easy to make happy again you know," she disregards. I look back up to Brianna. She's definitely sad. She has a large frown on her face and her eyes look red and puffy like she has been crying. My heart breaks at the sight instantly.

"Well, I think she is," I tell her before standing up and walking back over the bridge to Brianna. I take a few cautious steps towards her. "Hello, Brianna, would you mind if I sit down next to you so that we can have a little talk?" I inquire with a gentle smile. She shakes her head and shuffles over so that I can sit down. "You look a little bit sad. Why don't you tell me what's wrong?" I offer while turning my full undivided attention to her with a bit of difficulty. It's hard to ignore the sounds of all the other children and the roaring reverberation of the waterfall.

"All the kids are making fun of me," she answers quietly. I strain to hear her voice clearly. She frowns then and looks as if she's about to cry again. I frown too.

"What are they saying or doing to you that is making you so miserable?" I ask. She looks up at me; sadness filling her wide, blue eyes.

"They've been teasing me because no one wants to adopt me," she explains softly as a tear runs swiftly down her cheek. I have to restrain myself from wiping it away. There's nothing I hate more than seeing young children cry.

"Why do they think no one wants to adopt you?" she shrugs before looking back down at her fingers. She starts playing with a silver ring that sits delicately on her right hand. It's a very simple ring, I note in my head. It has a small, gold love-heart on it and what looks to be some writing underneath it. I'm sort of curious as to what the writing says actually.

"Because I'm shy and a Daughter of Eve," she murmurs. I smile at her.

"That's not something to be ashamed of you know and besides, that's their loss," I tell her matter of factly. She looks up at me with a curious expression.

"What do you mean, Your Majesty?" she asks. I smile.

"I mean that being a Daughter of Eve is something rare. There are only very few people in Narnia who are human and it's something special. You should feel honoured to be from that generational line," I explain before adding on, "Oh, and call me Ashley. Your Majesty feels far too formal for right now." She smiles brightly at me.

"You're right! I never thought of it that way before, Ashley," she admits. We sit in a comfortable silence for a few more minutes before I notice her playing with her ring again.

"Brianna, what does your ring say?" I question as I look at it. It looks familiar in a way, but I can't remember where I have seen it before. She looks at me and quickly slides it off her finger before closely looking at the writing underneath the golden heart.

"It says, 'I love all of my princesses.' Aslan gave it to me a few months ago while I was crying and really upset. He told me a few things that made me happy and then told me that the ring would help with someone else's decision process. I really like it," she tells me with a shy smile. She slides it happily back onto her finger before she turns to look at me. "He also told me that it's your ring and I was to assume that it had great significance about it." I look back down at it curiously. In that instant I know that Aslan wants me to do something; something important.

"I thought it looked familiar," I murmur as a response to her before standing up slowly. "Wait here for a second, I'll be right back!" I tell her before running over to Peter who's completely enthralled with a little boy's story of the pirates he saw on the ocean the other day. I wait until he has finished before calling Peter over to me. He smiles.

"I'll be right back," he promises the children before coming over to me. "Before you say anything, please grab Brenton, my arm's about to drop off." I laugh loudly at him as I gently take my son from his arms and cradle him against my chest. "Now, what's up?" he asks.

"Listen, I know we just had our babies and everything and we've been through a lot, but I want to adopt Brianna. Please consider it!" I beg. He looks a little surprised at me, before looking over my shoulder in the vague direction of Brianna. He then turns back to me before his eyes lock with mine. I can tell he's searching for something in them. After a few minutes he stops and sighs.

"We already have two; another one's not going to hurt us. Okay," he agrees. I stand here shocked for a minute. I was so sure that he was going to say no, that I'm completely stunned that he said yes.

"Really?" I ask after a minute, completely shocked into place. He nods.

"Of course. You seem set on it and there's nothing more satisfying than adopting a small child like that, so why not?" I smile brightly and give his cheek a kiss.

"You're the best, you know that right," I say excitedly. He smirks at me.

"I know." He winks at me then before adding on, "I'll go and work everything out with Mrs. Finkel and you go and talk to Brianna." I nod and he happily offers to take Brenton back while I go and talk to Brianna. I smile before I quickly hand him Brenton and run back over to Brianna, who's still sitting all alone on the bench. I sit down next to her again, before glancing down at her.

"Brianna, I'm about to ask you a very serious question and I need you to listen very carefully okay?" I ask. She smiles and nods at me. I take a deep breath in. "Brianna, how would you like it if you came and lived in the castle with King Peter and I? And by that I mean, how would you like it if we adopted you?" Her stunning, blue eyes grow wide and her face lights up instantly.

"You mean it? Really? You want to adopt me!" she exclaims as she jumps up from her seat. Her long, black hair bounces as she excitedly jumps up and down. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Please could I be your daughter? I've always wanted to be your daughter." I smile at her genuine excitement for the idea.

"Well I would like nothing more than that," I reply with a grin. She instantly jumps into my lap, catching me completely by surprise.

"Thank you," she murmurs as she cuddles into me. I smile down at her and wrap my arms around her tightly.

"That is quite alright." She smiles then and cuddles in a little bit closer to me again.

"I heard the squealing from a mile away, Brianna! Are you going to go and live with the High King and Queen now?" Mrs. Finkel asks as she walks slowly up to us. Brianna turns her head a little bit and nods.

"They're going to be my mummy and my daddy," she states. I could cry; I seriously could. She's so accepting to the fact of us adopting her, even after only just finding out about it. Peter comes over to me then, his arms empty as he sits down next me. I look at him as puts his arm around my shoulders. Brianna burrows herself a little bit deeper into me, obviously unsure of Peter. It takes me a second to realise that they've probably never even met before.

"Brianna, this is King Peter. He's going to be your new father. You don't have to be afraid of him," I say understandingly. She smiles shyly at him but buries her face back into my hair a second later. I look up to Peter who is looking down at Brianna, very at peace with the fact that she is so shy around him. His eyes lock with mine for a moment and in that moment I can see that he completely understands. I grin before looking back down to Brianna.

"Are the girls here?" I question him after a few minutes of silence between us all. He nods and gestures his head behind us. I stand up, gently pushing Brianna off of me, and turn around. They're both smiling brightly at me and I suddenly realise that this is their first ever time of meeting, let alone holding, my babies. "Like them?" I ask while walking towards them, Brianna in careful tow.

"They are too gorgeous, Ash!" Cabigail exclaims as Annabella plays with her honey-golden locks. Her blue eyes look down at the baby like she is the cutest and most adorable thing she has ever seen in her life.

"They're so adorable! Look at his little nose and eyes and his little pinch-able cheek and aww, he's so adorable!" Killara gushes. I laugh at her reaction.

"Glad you like them. Now, what do you say we head off now," I suggest. They both nod at me and carefully walk over to the bushes where our horses are waiting.

"Come along," Peter murmurs as he suddenly appears beside me. He holds a welcoming hand out to Brianna, but the adorable little girl just grabs one of mine with both hands and holds on tightly. He pulls back his hand and smiles a beautiful smile at her before kneeling down to her level. "You take as much time as you need to be comfortable around everyone, okay, sweetheart?" She nods her head at him while sucking her thumb. He stands up again before leading us over to the horses.

"Have you said goodbye, Brianna?" She nods at me.

"Yes. I said bye to all my friends and to Mrs. Finkel. Also she told me to tell you that apparently Aslan arrived this morning and took all of my stuff to the castle by magic or something like that." I feel my body freeze as she tells me that, but then relax. Of course he knew that we were going to adopt her. That's why he gave her the ring and besides, why else would he put a human as an orphan?

"Good. Remember also that you're getting a brand new bedroom too, Brianna. So along with all of your old stuff, you'll also have loads of new things like new toys and books and clothes," Peter reminds her as we walk over to the horses. She may not be comfortable around him just yet, but even she can't help but smile brightly at his words. What seven year old wouldn't like to hear that they get a whole new wardrobe and bedroom?

"Thank you, Your Ma...jes...ty?" she starts to say softly. She stops though as he starts shaking his head at her.

"You don't have to call either of us that anymore. It's mother and father or dad and mum for you now." She smiles at him slightly.

"What about mummy and daddy?" she asks him shyly. I chuckle along with Peter at that and nod down at her happily.

"Of course you can call us mummy and daddy!" I exclaim. We get to Crystal and Midnight then and each of them instantly look at Brianna, confused.

"Who's this other human?" Midnight asks Peter, not taking his eyes off of her for one second.

"This is Brianna, our new daughter," Peter explains as he jumps up onto Midnights back. "I'm assuming you'll want her to ride with you and Crystal, love," he guesses. I nod happily and gently hoist her up onto the horse. Her face instantly drops in fear and it suddenly occurs to me that there's a possibility that she's never been on a horse before, having been from the orphanage and all.

"Grab onto Crystals' mane," I tell her gently when I notice her not holding onto anything. "Are you okay, Brianna?" I ask worriedly. She nods and grips on tightly to Crystals' mane like I told her too. Crystal gives a horsey whine as I shoot her a glare. She shuts up in an instant. I jump up onto her then so that I'm now sitting behind Brianna before wrapping my arms securely around her and grabbing onto Crystals' reigns. She's shaking. "It's okay. I won't let you fall. I promise." Brianna turns her head to look at me and smiles a little bit. I smile back comfortingly.

"Alright, if everybody's comfortable now, let's go!" Peter exclaims happily before he starts riding into the forest. Crystal takes a few, small steps forward. I can tell Brianna's even more scared now that she has started moving.

"Stop, Crystal," I command at once. She does as I say and stops her procession. Peter stops from in front of us too. I look at him first. "Why don't you head back, Peter? I've just got to give Brianna a bit of a riding lesson," I explain. He nods in understanding.

"Sure. I'll see you back at the castle," he agrees with a supporting smile at Brianna. He leaves then and I turn my attention back to the little princess in my arms.

"Brianna, listen to me. You're perfectly safe. I know it feels a little weird at first, but I promise you that you are not going to suddenly fall off of her," I promise. She nods slightly as her shaking gets a little less. I hope that helped her a little bit. We start again and this time we don't stop. We follow the small river along until it starts to turn towards the ocean. From that point on we ride straight ahead. Eventually we arrive at the castle; we use the back entrance to it though. I don't want to draw a crowd just yet and I don't want to make Brianna more nervous than what she already is either. Oreius opens the gate for us happily while bowing before we ride on through the outskirts. We get to the stables a few minutes later. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are all waiting for us at the bottom of the marble stairs. I smile and briefly lift my arms so that Peter can lift a very nervous Brianna off of Crystals back before I ride her into the stable. I jump off and instantly walk around to talk to Crystal. "Thank you for being so patient back there," I tell her before kissing and patting her long snout.

"You're welcome, now put me next to Midnights stable again. I love talking to him." I laugh at her one track mind before letting her into the stable. His head is instantly over the fence, talking happily to her. I smile at them and lock the gate before heading back outside. The first thing I notice is that Susan and Lucy are already holding their new niece and nephew. I realise suddenly that this is the first time they have ever seen them. I should've guessed that they would want cuddles immediately. Peter has both of them completely enthralled in a story. I instantly guess that he's telling them about what we have done. The next thing I notice is that Edmund is talking, or trying to talk, to Brianna. The shy, little girl is standing by herself looking very stand offish. I'm not too worried though, she'll get used to the people. I smile at them all then and walk forward. "Hi, how are all of you? Was everything okay at the castle while we were away?" I ask as I walk over to Peter and grab his hand. As soon as Brianna notices me here, she has her arms wrapped tightly around my leg. I smile and stroke back her hair with my spare hand.

"Yes, everything was fine. We've all been worried sick about you two though. We weren't sure whether you had gotten safely to the babies or not and whether they were still alive by the time you got there so I must say that the entire castle sighed in relief when the messenger bird arrived for the girls," Susan tells us as she gently rocks Brenton.

"Good to hear that everything went well," Peter replies.

"Thanks, brother, and for you too. I'm glad you got to the babies in time and adopted this little cutie in the process," Edmund says with a smile in Brianna's direction. I feel her grip on my leg get even tighter due to nerves.

"It's okay, sweetie. These are your aunts and uncle. They won't hurt you," I promise her. She smiles up at me before looking over to Edmund. She pulls away from my leg slowly as well and walks forward a little bit until she's in front of him. She puts her hands nervously behind her back and stubs her foot into the dusty ground over and over again before looking up to him.

"What's your name again?" she questions him after a minute or so.

"My name is Uncle Edmund. You see, sweetie, I'm the cool member of this family. In fact, would you like to try wheelbarrow racing?" he asks her excitedly. Her eyes widen with curiosity and interest.

"NO!" we all shout out in unison. Edmund looks at us with a strange expression.

"What's wheelbarrow racing?" Brianna asks curiously in a whisper.

Peter POV

I have a very strong feeling that she will want to try it if he explains so I quickly let go of Ashley's hand and bend down to her instead.

"Brianna, would you like to see your new room?" I ask as I very gently offer her my hand again. She looks down at my hand and then up to me. Her eyes lock with mine instantly. I can tell she's nervous and shy, but I don't expect all of that to go away instantly. I know it's going to take a while for her to fully trust me, but for now the least I can do is try.

"May I, daddy?" she asks me quietly. I try to stop the instant male pride from taking over at the mention of her calling me 'daddy', and instead try to focus on getting her settled in.

"You may." I get up then and quickly look over to my beautiful wife. She's talking with Susan and Lucy about the babies and how she needs some more clothes for each of them. I know instantly that that means tomorrow will be a shopping day even though I'm certain that the babies' closets are already full of the most expensive clothing. I look back down to my, gulp, daughter before leading her inside. She didn't accept my hand and is instead slowly following me into the castle. She looks around at the high ceilings and walls in awe and wonder. "Do you like the castle?" I ask her gently. She nods slightly.

"Yes, I do." It's silent for a moment before her small voice piques up again. "Daddy? Is my bedroom purple?" she inquires a little bit louder than before. She smiles a little as she realises that her voice echoes in the massive space. I grin at her tangible interest over something so basic.

"I'm not sure, we'll just have to go upstairs and see," I reply as we enter the small hallway with the small staircase in it. She stays behind me, shyly strolling along, trusting my guidance. If I'm being honest with myself, I don't even know where we're going. I have no idea where Aslan has put her room. So I decide to just go up to our mini house and show her around in there first before asking one of Ashley's' friends (kill me if I can remember any of their names) where her bedroom is afterwards. As we walk up the staircase and pass through all the different hallways we get a few glances from some of the staff. They aren't surprised or shocked looks though, more like a smile here and a look of pure adoration there. It's more obvious with all the female servants that they all think it's cute that we have, not only the babies, but a gorgeous, little, seven-year old too. None of them ever say a word to us though. They just do what they always do, which is bow or curtsey and leave without saying a word. Eventually we reach the mini house. I open the door slowly before walking in. Brianna follows me in nervously, but somewhat wholeheartedly too. I watch her as she becomes mesmerised by the bright room. I can tell that she loves the place and instantly know that we will have no trouble with keeping her here. Her eyes suddenly widen in delight at something behind me. I turn around only to notice Aslan standing there. I grin and quickly walk over to him whilst Brianna runs past me with squeals of delight before jumping on top of him and tackling him to the ground. They laugh in delight together before Aslan turns his attention to me. I bow immediately.

"I believe a 'congratulations' is in order," he tells me. I smile.

"Thanks, Aslan, for everything," I reply. He smiles at me.

"You are welcome, Peter. Now, I do believe this little one would like to see her bedroom." At this Brianna instantly shoots up. It is extremely obvious that she loves Aslan to bits.

"Where is it?" she asks excitedly. "Is it purple, Aslan?" she adds on. I laugh at that and quickly walk forward so I can follow them to her bedroom. Aslan stands up then and slowly walks over to our bedroom hallway. He walks over to the purple door and nods towards it. Brianna immediately runs towards him. He moves out of the way to let her past before she excitedly tears open the door. I walk after her instantly. Suddenly all the coloured doors make perfect sense. Each coloured door leads into a bedroom, the purple for Brianna, the green for Brenton, and the yellow for Annabella. I smile at the realisation before walking quickly into the room after her.

Her bedroom is huge. It has a queen-sized bed along one of the walls that's covered with purple, pink, silver, and white fluffy pillows. A pure purple and white silk doona covers the white, bed sheets while a very pretty looking quilt sits at the very end of it. There's also a huge bed canopy that hangs lightly over the top in true princess style. Her room also has a large stone fireplace opposite the bed with quite a large protective covering around it to prevent any little children from falling into it. There are also lots of shelves covered with everything a little girl can ever dream of; doll after doll, toy after toy, jewellery boxes, which I imagine are filled to the brim with necklaces and bracelets, colouring in books and pencils, and loads of books. I walk over to one of the shelves with books on it and look at some of the titles. All of them are about fairies and mermaids and magical kingdoms. I instantly turn to look at the rest of the room. There's a large rug on the floor too and a little, mini toy kitchen set-up in the corner next to a trunk filled to the brim with dress up clothes. There's also a dressing table with a large mirror connected to it that has some hair stuff on it. A large picture is hanging on the wall also. It's a picture of a unicorn, standing in a field of purple flowers. I smile at that one knowing that Brianna will love it. I spy a door in the corner as well and picture it leading into a large wardrobe. I don't dare look though, imaging it to be filled with pretty dresses (too girly for my liking).

"Aslan! This is so cool! I can't believe I get to live here!" she exclaims as she runs over and jumps on him again. I laugh slightly. I see Aslan whisper something in her ear then before she nods once and slowly walks over to me. I kneel down to her with a genuine smile before she takes a step close to me. "Thank you," she whispers softly in my ear a second later.

"You're welcome," I whisper back. She smiles.

"Where's mummy?" she asks me as she takes a few steps back from me. She must hear something for immediately she smiles and runs out of the room. I grin and follow her out, closing the door behind me. "Mummy! You have to see my bedroom!" I hear her squeal as she runs into the main living area. Obviously Ash is back. Aslan's next to me then looking as majestic as ever.

"Thank you for that. I doubt any of us in the castle could've made a room that perfect for her," I tell him with a bow of my head. He laughs slightly.

"You are very welcome. I assume you can guess what the other two rooms are for then." I nod and slowly walk over to the green door, or Brenton's bedroom. I open it slightly, just enough to peek my head in to take a look. Light green, baby blue, and cream are the main colours throughout the room. A large cot sits against one of the walls whilst a table with baby essentials sits against the opposite wall. An ancient looking rocking chair sits in the corner of the room also. There are also loads of toys and, again, another door in the corner that obviously leads into a closet. I quietly close the door and turn to talk to Aslan, but he's gone. I frown slightly and walk back out to meet up with my wife and new daughter.

Back to Ashley POV

"Mummy! You have to see my bedroom!" Brianna squeals as I walk into the apartment that I have missed so much over the past few days. I sigh in contentment. It's good to be home.

"I definitely have to! Where is it? Is it down on the other level?" I ask her curiously. I have no idea where Aslan has placed her in the castle. I hope it isn't too far away from our bedroom though. Ever since the Starstone incident, I'm not too sure about anyone under the age of twelve being alone on their own level without adults nearby, even though I know that there are guards on every corner.

"No, it's in here!" she exclaims while running towards the small hallway. I laugh, immediately guessing that she has stolen our room. I walk after her though, my arms filled with two sleeping babies. I walk into the hallway then before almost bashing into Peter.

"Need some help?" he inquires as he takes in my full arms. I nod and he very carefully takes Brenton steadily from one. I smile at him.

"Thanks, Pete," I say before rushing over to a very impatient Brianna. She's standing in front of the purple door and I suddenly realise that I have completely forgotten about the magic doors. I watch on, expecting her to be annoyed at how the door won't open, instead though she swings it open easily. I stand there surprised for a second before effortlessly walking in after her. I can't help but smile at the girly room. Yes, every girls dream come true. I walk over to her closet then and slowly open it with my free hand. It's stuffed with dresses, all in colour order and made of the most delicate fabrics known to man. They all look very beautiful. I look over to Brianna quickly only just realising now that she's still in her orphanage attire. The grey and grey-green dress doesn't look too bad on her, but I know she will prefer to wear one of these dresses. I walk over to the purple section before pulling out an appropriate dress for playing in. I end out grabbing a light purple and pink one. "Brianna!" I call. She instantly is at my side, excitement obvious in her eyes.

"Yes, mummy?" she replies. I hold the dress up for her.

"You should put this on. It'll be more comfortable than the dress you're wearing now," I tell her. She nods and grabs it from me before quickly stripping off her old clothes and slipping into her new ones. She beams brightly once it's fully on and I can't help but feel a little proud of her in that moment.

"Thanks, mummy. I love it," she says excitedly. I smile at her and gesture her back out. Peter's in her bedroom looking for us. He looks a little surprised when he sees the dress on her, but seems pretty happy when he notices how happy she is. As soon as she spots him though she stops twirling and nervously looks at him. "Do you like it, daddy?" she questions as she plays around with one of the layers, causing the other layers to show very clearly. He smiles.

"I do, very much so, my little princess," he promises. He may not mean a lot to her yet, but I can tell that she is happy with his response. "Come along, Brianna, I want to show you the balcony and Ocean." She nods once and carefully follows after him. I smile at them both and quickly look down at Annabella's sleeping form. I decide to put her to bed and guess that the yellow door is hers. I open it and sure enough it's a yellow and pink nursery. I sigh and gently put her into the cot. She stirs a little bit as I put her in, which I had expected, so I rock her cot a bit just as I feel two arms snake around my waist. Peter kisses my shoulder lightly before I look at him.

"What's the time?" I ask curiously.

"Four-thirty," he replies tiredly. I groan.

"So in other words it's still too early to go to bed," I whine. He laughs quietly and kisses my cheek.

"Yes, a little bit too early for that still," he agrees. I lean back against him, completely drained of all energy and emotion. I don't stop rocking the cot back and forth as he cuddles me.

"We have a dinner to attend though, Mrs. Pevensie. Malina told me that instead of dinner at six-thirty, they'd be ready by five o' clock with it," he explains lightly. I smile.

"Good! I don't think we've eaten a proper meal for days now!" I complain while pulling away from his embrace and grabbing his hand. I stop rocking the cot for a second and look down into it. Annabella is peacefully asleep now. I smile.

"Yes, I figured you're probably tired too. No one will blame us if we go to bed right after dinner," he tells me with a happy smile. We walk out of the room together, hand in hand, before heading over to our bedroom.

"So, what do you think of Brianna?" I ask him curiously as I collapse eagerly onto our bed. I missed this bed like anything while we were out. My back is sore from sleeping on rocky surfaces and beds that were far too small for us and so it's a great relief when I feel how extremely comfortable this one suddenly is.

"I think she is a very sweet and polite girl, although she is also very shy. I know she won't be comfortable with me for a while, but I'm willing to wait, because I know she will be one day," he answer truthfully. And this is why I love my husband.

"Talking about Brianna, where is she?"

"She's with her aunts," Peter replies as he collapses next to me. I roll onto my side and look at him properly for the first time in days. He's grubby and, now that I think about, also very smelly. His hair is in absolute disarray and his clothes are all torn and muddled.

"Oh good. It'll be nice for them to get to know her a little bit better and hopefully it will help her relax around them," I say. He smiles.

"I could say the same for us. We don't know very much about her yet. I'll make sure tomorrow is a family day and we can just have a relaxing day and just be with our children. We've barely spent time with the babies either and I would really like some quality time as a family before business starts up for me again. How does that sound?" he inquires. I smile brightly and roll over so that I'm on top of him. I lean down and give him a long, loving kiss before leaning up again a bit so that just our foreheads are touching.

"That sounds great, honey," I reply content, "but what sounds even better right now is the word food. I'm going to go and have a bath and change. I'll see you downstairs," I say as I quickly roll off the bed and go over to our closet. I randomly pull a gold dress out and some clean undergarments and go over to the bathroom. A dryad has already run a bath for me and so I just slip in. It feels good to be clean again, I have to admit, and after around fifteen minutes I get out. I slip into the beautiful dress elegantly and quickly run downstairs after combing my hair and putting my, now polished and sparkling clean, crown back into its rightful position. I walk eagerly into the dining room and sit down at my usual spot at the table. I'm on the corner, since Peter sits at the head.

"Mummy, where do I sit?" Brianna asks me as she runs over to me. I pull back the chair next to me.

"Right here, although starting tomorrow you'll have to sit at the other end of the table until the servants figure out a new seating arrangement because you've stolen your Aunt Susan's seat," I tell her as I gesture for her to sit down. She smiles and sits next to me. She goes to reach for a slice of lamb when my hand quickly grabs hers and pulls it back. "No one ever touches the food, let alone eats it, until the High King sits down and takes his first bite," I explain. That's one thing about adopting that I didn't think about earlier. We have to teach her all of the rules that stand firm in the castle. I know it will take a while for them to sink in after she's spent most of her life in an orphanage, but I know for a fact that she will get them eventually. I hear the deep horn sound then, pulling me from my thoughts, and stand up as my husband walks into the room. I take a glance over to Brianna. She has obviously noticed everyone standing and so she's quick to copy. I smile at her, silently telling her that she did the right thing before looking back to my husband who's now sitting down. I sit down after him before the rest of the creatures at the table sit themselves.

Dinner's always a slow procession at the beginning, I'm not saying that my husband's slow, it just takes a while for all the food to be served and all of that kind of stuff and then when you add on all the standing we have to do, it takes a good ten minutes before we actually start eating. Peter takes the first bite of his food then and instantly the entire dining room erupts into talking and laughter as everyone starts pigging into all the glorious food. Servants waltz smartly in and out as we eat and I get to talk to each of my friends as they each take turns in handing me my plates. By the end of it, I'm stuffed, in a very good way I will admit.

"Would you like to stay down here for a while or head up to bed?" Peter asks me as we walk into the Great Hall hand in hand. There are creatures everywhere at this time of the night and so we usually stay and talk to them for a few hours before bed. I yawn then, immediately giving him my choice.

"I'm really tired and the babies will be up early tomorrow as well. I need sleep," I tell him as I look over at the golden, moondial that hangs on the wall beside a tapestry. He smiles and nods before letting everyone know that we're retiring for the night. He grabs my hand then and leads me up the treacherous staircase. I hear little footsteps following behind us all of a sudden. I don't even need to turn around to guess who it is. We get to our level and instantly Brianna's hand is in my spare one.

"I'm tired too," she explains after I give her a curious glance. She yawns heavily then and I can see her becoming slower and more lazy in her steps. I smile at her as Peter opens the door and lets us both enter. I pull her inside before Pete closes the door and locks it shut. I instantly go to check on the twins, since it is a dryad who's looking after them. As soon as I get through the door to Annabella's room, the dryad is instantly at my side in her flurry of yellow petals.

"They are fine, Your Majesty," she tells me while curtseying. I smile at her.

"Thank you." She nods her head in an answering way before disappearing out the window. I watch as the wind carries her down towards the ground in a wide flurry of random petals before dropping her off at her tree. I smile and instantly look in the pretty cot. Annabella is fast asleep and is very peaceful. I quietly leave her room before checking on Brenton who's fast asleep too. I stroke his thin layer of brown hair back softly as he sleeps soundly.

"Mummy, can you please tuck me in?" Brianna asks me softly from the doorway. I look over to her and nod.

"Of course I can." I leave Brenton alone to sleep in peace before walking across the hallway to Brianna's room. When I walk in, she's happily snuggled up under her blankets. Pillows are scattered all over the floor and I notice that she's holding a book in her hands. I walk over to her bed before sitting on the edge of it and leaning over a little bit so that I can read the title of the book.

"Could you please read 'The Princess Unicorn' to me?" she asks as she places the book gently on my lap. I smile and open to the first page.

"Once upon a time..." I begin. Half an hour later, she's fast asleep. Her black hair is spread wildly all over the pillow as she breathes heavily. I plant a soft kiss on her forehead before whispering, "I love you," and blowing out the candles in her room. I trudge into our bedroom a few minutes later, completely spent, before collapsing on the bed in a tired manor. Peter's already in bed, the covers pulled up to his chin to try and keep the warmth in for me. I smile and slowly get up before peeling off my gorgeous dress. I put on pyjamas again for the first time in what feels like weeks before slowly peeling back the sheets and getting in. Peter instantly pulls me into him and wraps his arms around me tightly.

"I love you," he whispers softly in my ear. I smile and look up at him.

"I love you too." He leans down and catches my lips in a gentle, loving kiss before pulling away. I sigh in contentment as he starts stroking my hair gently back. I fall asleep quickly with dreams of my happy family.

The End


	25. Epilogue: First Day

Brianna POV

"Brianna? Brianna! What are you doing? Come back this instant!" I don't listen. Why would I? That lady is nasty and trying to hurt me. My eyes glance upon the nice lady. She's holding green jades, the most rarest flower in Narnia, and she's in a pretty dress! It's purple, my favourite colour, and pretty and long. "Brianna! Come back! Don't go to her!" The nasty lady wants to keep me, she doesn't want me to leave her side, but the pretty lady says that I can do whatever I like when I'm with her. My legs carry me faster and faster over to her before I leap into her arms.

"Oh, Brianna! You beautiful, little girl. You don't want to go back to that other lady do you?" I shake my head at her and wrap my arms around her neck.

"No, I want to stay with you. Don't send me back to the nasty lady!" I plead.

"BRIANNA!"

"Come along then, my dear. Come and be my servant." That's not what I want though. I look over my shoulder to the nasty lady who is crying on the ground. She doesn't want me either though. Being a servant for the nice lady is better than staying with the nasty lady any day.

"Okay."

"Such a good girl. Now, why don't we get rid of this nasty lady?" Yes! Send her home! She doesn't need to be here anymore.

"That would be perfect." I get placed gently back on the ground by the nice lady. Something is happening though. The nice lady's dress tears into a million pieces as she starts to grow really big. Her hands get really fluffy and furry and the rest of her body turns grey. I don't know how nice this lady is anymore. Her head transforms into a dog, only it doesn't look like a dog. She's got blood in her mouth. I turn to look at the nasty lady. She's crying and still screaming my name. The wolf lady jumps over me suddenly before she sprints over to the nasty lady, swallowing her whole. I really don't want to be a servant for her anymore.

"Oh, Brianna. Come to me. Be my servant." She bares her teeth, letting a roar come from down within her throat. Run, Bree, run. I turn around, my legs already racing me forwards. The wood comes out from nowhere and I'm suddenly jumping over tree logs. They're too big for me though and it slows me down. I can hear the wolf lady running quicker up to me. "Brianna." I turn around and scream as she leaps forward before –

"AHHHH!" I sit up screaming; sweat is dripping off of my face and my hands are feeling very clammy and wet. My body is shaking with fear and I really can't help the tears as they cloud my vision before pouring over. That was really scary. I've never had a nightmare like that before. I lay back down and curl up into a ball under my sheets and quilt. Where am I? This isn't my bed! The tears race on, not stopping for even a moment. Sqqueeak. Huh, what was that? I curl up even more under my sheets as a stream of light comes pouring into my room. I look at the now open door; not taking my eyes off of it at all. A shadow appears, blocking the light. I try to hold back my sobs. I can't let it know I'm here. The shadow walks closer and closer to my bed. The sobs are starting to take over my body now, becoming increasingly louder. The shadow is right next to my bed now. Its hand is reaching out to grab hold of me. No! I won't let it! "Get away from me!" I yell as I jump over to the other side of my bed. Another shadow is entering now, only it's carrying a light. "NO! Leave me alone!" I cry.

"Brianna, it's us! It's okay, sweetie!"

"No! Go away! I'm scared!"

"Light the candle! You're scaring her for goodness sake!"

"Oh, of course! I'm sorry!" I just want the monsters to go away! Within a second of one of the monsters speaking, my whole room is lit up. I look over to the monster beside my bed, not being able to see clearly because of my cloudy vision. It's now sitting on the edge of my bed though. That much I can see.

"Brianna?" the monster says clearly. I blink away my tears and wipe my nose on my bed sheets as soon as I hear my name.

"Wh-who are you?" I manage to choke out as a whisper.

"It's Ashley. I'm your new mummy remember?" Ashley? Mummy? "It's alright, sweetheart. Did you have a nightmare?" she asks me in a calming voice. I nod. "That's not good. I get them all the time too. Do you mind if I lay down with you and give you a cuddle? I know cuddles always make me feel better." That's right! Queen Ashley and King Peter adopted me! I'm in my new room! I sniffle, my eyes filling up with tears again as I nod. She lays down next to me, propping herself up on my headboard for support before she opens her arms to me. I crawl over to her and cuddle up in them. Instantly she wraps them around me, one of her hands is even stroking my hair back.

"My nightmare was really scary, mummy," I tell her as the strokes along my jet-black hair continue.

"Well that's not good. What was it about?"

"A wolf thing."

"Yeah, wolves are scary aren't they? I've had a lot of nightmares with wolves in them too." I wipe away my tears on her dark night gown.

"You have?"

"I have, but you know what?" I sit up slightly and shake my head slowly.

"What?"

"When I wake up, I always remember that I'm safe and that it was just a dream." She lays me back down in the crook of her arm. "Try and get some more sleep, Brianna. Tomorrow will be a nice relaxing day as a family," she whispers to me. Eventually I let the drowsiness consume me and I fall into a dreamless slumber.

When I awake the next morning, mummy's gone and I'm alone in my new room. I push the quilt and sheets off of me and slowly hop out of bed. I can hear baby cries. They're really loud, but they don't bother me. We had lots of babies in the orphanage. Cautiously I walk over to my purple door, my nighty dragging silently on the ground. It's a little bit too long for me, even though it fits everywhere else. My hand twists around the golden lion-head knob before I twist it and pull slightly. The cries are much louder out here; as are the voices I'm still getting accustomed to.

"Shh, Anna. Go to sleep." The cries only get louder at the man's voice though. I open my door just enough to squeeze through before looking both ways in the corridor. One way is a dead end, so I should probably walk the other way. Within a few steps I'm at another door. I open this one and very quietly step out into the light room. The curtains are open and there is lots of sunshine. No one is here. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to be either. I close the door behind me and take a few cautious steps on the dark floorboards. They squeak slightly beneath my feet. I curiously let my eyes wander around the room. The walls are cream in colour and there's a fireplace and a small kitchen and a balcony and a sofa in front of the fireplace and even a small, light coloured table. We can have family dinners! There are some paintings too though. I walk over to the couch where the fire is roasting in the fireplace and sit on it. It's comfy and – bouncy. Very bouncy. I giggle and jump on it slightly. I'm going to like living here. Smack! What was that noise? I stop bouncing and whip my head over my shoulder before ducking slightly so I can't be seen from the door. That's what that noise was. The door slamming open. Followed by voices. People screaming to be exact.

"Peter, I do not need this right now! Just be quiet! You're going to wake the babies up! It just took us all night to get them to sleep so shut it!"

"I made it very clear to you that I don't have a choice in the matter yet you're acting as if it's my fault."

"Because it is your fault! You should've said no! You know how important having a family day was to us so why did you agree to attend five meetings today?"

"Because I'm High King and it's my job!"

"Well your family should come first!"

"Well I'm sorry that I'm a King and I have no control over these things!"

"You do have control – you say no! It's that easy!" Footsteps sound on the floorboards just as my new mother comes into view. She wants to sit down. I jump out of the way and sit on the other side of the couch to make room for her. She falls back, her eyes closed, obvious tears on her wet cheeks. She's crying. Why is she crying?

"You need to learn to understand that it's not that easy, Ashley! You should know that by now! In fact, I know you know that! You've been a queen for almost ten months now! Grow up and learn to deal with things at face value instead of flying off the handle at me for nothing. By Aslan's Mane, woman! I need to attend these meetings. I've already told you that we'll have this afternoon as a family, so calm down, stop crying, and put up with it." I wonder why father's shouting at mother? I touch her arm softly causing her to jump, her eyes flashing open and landing straight on me. For some reason her hand flies straight to her mouth before she closes her eyes again and leans her head back. She moves her hand away from her mouth so she can wipe her eyes instead and opens them again; her eyes are watery again. I smile, hoping to make her feel better.

"Peter, Brianna's here," mother says although her voice is very croaky from crying. I shuffle closer to her and wipe away more of her tears gently. I don't want to see her cry. She looks down at me, her brown eyes meeting my blue ones before her lips turn up at the sides in a smile. I made her smile! It's silent for a moment before more footsteps sound. My new daddy appears in front of the couch then. I don't know him very well yet, but I don't like that he's making mummy cry. I frown and cuddle in closer to mummy, my eyes never leaving him. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair before he sits down cross-legged on the rug in front of us. He puts a hand on mummy's knee before he smiles gently at me and then at her. Mummy's sniffles can be heard very clearly in the now quiet room. Daddy is the first to break the silence; his voice breaking.

"I'm sorry, Ash. I shouldn't have shouted at you and taken my frustration out on you, that was wrong of me. And I'm sorry, Brianna, that you had to hear that. We don't usually shout at each other. We're both just a little upset this morning." He smiles apologetically at me. It's silent for another minute before I watch mummy's hand slowly move so it's covering daddy's on her bare knee.

"I'm sorry too. I know what you have to do as King. I'm just really tired after the past week and I was really looking forward to a day where it was just us as a family." She wraps her arm tighter around me and I cuddle into her. I look down to father who is looking at mother like she's the loveliest thing he has ever seen.

"Yerialds," he calls out, never taking his eyes off of mummy. I hear a door open and tuck myself into mummy a bit more.

"Yes, Sire?"

"Cancel today's meetings please. We're having a family day. There are to be no disturbances; not from anyone. Understood?" I glance slightly over mummy's shoulder so I can see Yerialds. He is a centaur. He must guard our room.

"Understood greatly, Your Majesty," he replies with a cheesy smile at me. I duck back down, my gaze resting on daddy. His eyes are red and dark. He looks tired. I look back to mummy who has a massive smile on her face and tears flowing down her cheeks. I wipe more of them away, earning myself a kiss on the head from her.

"Forgive me?" daddy asks. I hear and feel her slightly chuckle at him. Why? I'm not too sure, but at least she's not crying anymore!

"How could I not? And thank you." I hear slight shuffling and look back down to father who is standing up now. He leans over mummy and gives her a light kiss – yuck – before he runs a hand over my hair. I move slightly in closer to mummy. "It's going to take a while." I don't know what she means by that, but father moves away once she says it with a smile and nod.

"I know. You can take all the time you need, little one." Were they talking about me? A very shrill sound rings through the castle then. It's light and airy; almost as if it's calling fairies or pixies. I straighten up; my shoulders dropping back of their own accord as my ears search for where the sound is coming from.

"That's the breakfast bell." The breakfast bell? I will remember that sound if it means food. I glance up to my mother.

"Should we go down or did you want to stay up here?" father asks from somewhere else in the room.

"I think we need to teach Brianna the ways of the table."

"Ways of the table?" I ask at the same time father does. Only he sounds like he's laughing.

"You make it sound like some kind of ritual, Ash, but okay, let's go. We'll leave the babies up here to sleep."

"Are you sure they will be safe, Peter?"

"Perfectly." Another sound rings through the room then, even more shrill than the last one, before I feel the wind pick up through the open window. Something is rustling. I don't know what though.

"You called, Your Majesties?" a very airy voice asks. I look over my other shoulder and crawl up the couch slightly so I can look over it.

"We need you to watch the prince and princess whilst we go and have some breakfast. We don't wish to wake them up." The very pretty dryad curtseys gracefully at her King's words before her pink, petal face falls on me. She bows her head with a smile. I do the same only I think it was a bit faster. She laughs, her voice shrill like bells before another dryad joins her. This one is made of willows and daisy petals. She looks much older than the other one. She curtseys as well before her King.

"We will watch them like hawks, Your Grace." Her eyes meet mine in a moment of pure adoration before her lips turn into a happy smile. "Everything will be fine." Daddy walks over to us then before he lends both mummy and I a hand. I grab it hesitantly before he pulls me out of my seat. A giggle escapes me as I land on my feet and fall slightly against his leg and hip.

"Come along, you two." He chuckles. I smile up at him as mummy stands next to me.

"I am so hungry. I just need to put my morning gown on though. Give me two minutes." I notice her let go of his hand before she skips over to what I suppose is her bedroom. I wonder where daddy sleeps if she has the end bedroom? Before I can even think of somewhere she is back in the room with us. That was much shorter than two minutes. She's now wearing a long blue morning gown over her short nighty. She looks beautiful even in the morning. "Okay, lets go." I let go of daddy's hand and follow them both out the door. We enter a hallway that I hadn't really taken any notice of earlier before I get led down a staircase. A long staircase. It feels like forever before we get to the bottom. Once we're there, I follow them right before we walk down another big corridor. We come to a large set of doors which the guards open up to us. The dining hall is massive! In the middle of it is a table that seems to stretch on for ages! On the walls are paintings of lots of people and there's a fireplace in the room too. The walls are a dark red, making it dark but also cosy. There are some massive windows too that open onto the ocean. It's very beautiful.

"Brianna?" Hmm? I look over to see my mother standing near the table. I run over to her kneeling figure on the ground and crash into her. She smiles at me before standing up and leading me over to a chair. Around the chair are lots of people I don't know. I don't want to sit with strangers!

"I want to sit with you and daddy!" I cry, my eyes welling up automatically.

"This is not going to be your permanent spot. I promise. The servants are just trying to figure out a way to fit you up the end with us, but till they do, you need to sit here. I'm sorry, Bree. Here, take a seat." She pulls my chair out for me and gestures for me to sit. I do rather carefully. She pushes me in before leaning over my chair. "You'll be alright. Introduce yourself to the people around you, okay? You're going to be seeing them a lot." With those words she parts from me leaving me alone. I sniffle quietly to myself. Some family day! I look at my lap and play with my fingers, nerves threatening to push their way to the surface.

"Princess?" Did someone just call me a princess? I look up. "Beside you." I look to my left. Sitting next to me is a very pretty lady. She's not as pretty as my new mummy but she's not far from it. Her hair is orange and long, tied back into a princess crown. It's very curly. Her eyes are blue, the same colour as mine, but she's a little paler than me. She also has freckles. Lots of them.

"Are you talking to me?" I ask her nervously, my fingers twitching. She laughs at me slightly.

"Yes, dear, quite. My name is Lady Meredith."

"My name is Brianna," I say shyly. I don't like strangers.

"It is certainly lovely to meet you, Princess Brianna."

"You too, Lady Meredith." I look to my right then. Two green eyes stare back, a mass of jet black hair atop his head.

"How do you do, Princess?" the man asks me.

"Very well, Sir, what of you?"

"I, too, am very well. My name is Lord Vendrick. You have acquainted yourself with my wife the Lady Meredith."

"Quite, she is very lovely."

"How very kind of you, my dear," Lady Meredith comments from behind me. I smile. Maybe these people aren't so bad.

"How have you enjoyed your first night of living in the castle, Your Highness?" Lord Vendrick asks me.

"It was quite pleasant besides the nightmares, the babies crying, shouting, and mother crying."

"Nightmares? Shouting? Mother crying? Why whatever do you mean, my dear?"

"Princess Brianna! How about some fruit?" A very rude servant squeezes through Lord Vendrick and myself (I thought they had to be polite to royalty?) before she places said fruit, which I didn't ask for, on my plate.

"How dare you! This is an atrocity! Nobody dares to interrupt a conversation between a Lord and Princess, let alone put food on their plates without them asking for it! I suggest you get your head cut off for this treason." Lord Vendrick stands up. The servant straightens up too and looks him dead in the eye. I stand up too. I guess that's what I have to do. They did it.

"Do you want to know what else is atrocious? Asking a brand new Princess all about her family life. I am fairly certain the High King and Queen would not approve of such a conversation."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind with all of their apparent shouting at each other in front of their own children. They don't seem to have any decency anyway."

"What happens in the privacy of our own space is between our family and no one else. Brianna, King Edmund is going to come and sit up here. You are to come and sit with your mother and I – now. Malina, thank you, but you may get back to your chores. As for you, Lord Vendrick, I will not have you talking to my daughter about our personal lives thank you."

"No, of course not, because why would you want everyone in the room to know that you are an abusive husband to your wife." The ground vibrates as several people stand from their chairs, swords being drawn all around the table. It frightens me a little.

"How dare you accuse me of abusing my wife!"

"Your daughter made that very clear to me."

"My daughter did none of the sort."

"My husband does not abuse me!" I hear my mother exclaim over the table.

"Guards, have this Lord removed immediately," father orders as he pulls my chair out and helps me get away from the table.

"This is an outrage! Meredith, dearest, are you not going to help an old fool?"

"Of course not. You don't ask seven year old children about their personal lives then follow up by claiming our High King is abusive to his family. Let him rot in the dungeon for all I care, High King Peter."

"Meredith," his voice is pleading, but none can be done. The guards grab him before they pull him out of the room. This is all my fault. I look up at my father with a sorry look. His eyes aren't on me though.

"Please, everyone, take your seats, there is no reason for this. We must get back to eating." I look around and see everyone sit before I get dragged over to the other side of the table. Father pulls my chair out for me before I sit down. He then pushes it back in before taking a seat in his own at the head of the table. "We will talk about this later, Bree." I look down to my lap. He's angry at me. I can't do this. I can't be a princess. I need to go back to the orphanage where I belong. They don't want me here. They're going to send me back anyway.

"I need to use the chamber pot," I whisper to my mother who is sitting next to me.

"Okay, Darling. I'll get one of the servant to take you over. Kabella?" A centaur runs up to us immediately.

"Yes, Ash? I mean, Queen Ash," she rectifies quickly. Mother – I mean Ashley, laughs.

"Bree needs to use the chamber pot."

"I will show her where it is. Come along, sweetie." I grab her outstretched hand in my own before she leads me out the door and over to where the front door is. She points to a small door on the left of it. "In there, princess. Would you like me to wait for you?"

"No, thank you. I can manage on my own." I watch her curtsey to me before she trots away down the hallway again. I enter the cold room before closing the door and locking it. I then let the tears pour down my face. I am not cut out for this life. I need to go back. I wipe away my tears before getting off the ground and unlocking the door. I look both ways before I run outside; running as fast as my small legs can carry me. Just follow the path, Brianna. I can find the orphanage again.

"Your Highness?" I'm out of the gates before anyone even has time to react. Tears blur my vision as I dash into the forest. I'm pretty sure this is the way back to the orphanage. Perhaps they can find a child worthy of their life who won't disappoint them. I wipe away the tears as I jump over a log. I look around for the path, but I've lost it. I don't recognise this place at all. Bash! I jump. Every bone in my body stilling at once.

"Who goes there?" Bash! "Hello?" A massive shadow glooms over the tree roots ahead before it jumps out. A minotaur! "Ahhhh!" I scream. I race the other way jumping over tree roots and dead logs as I go. A hollowed out log is what I need. I spot an old oak tree with a hole that leads underground. I don't even think; I just jump straight in. The minotaurs loud footsteps come to a halt before he starts bashing on the tree. I'm lost and am probably going to die. Why did I ever leave the orphanage? I let the wetness in my eyes roll down my cheeks as I sit curled up in a ball. I'm going to die here! I let the sobs overtake my body immediately before I close my eyes and wish myself to sleep. It works.

Zing! I open my eyes a little while later to the sound of a sword being drawn before the echoes of metal against metal sounds. A fight. I can hear the minotaurs mighty groans as it battles with something. It could be anything. Maybe it's another minotaur. My eyes tear up again just thinking about it. Maybe I can make a dash for it? Okay, Bree, you can do this. BANG! The ground rocks and shakes bringing me to my knees. Was that an earthquake? I move back further into the tree trunk, my back hitting the bark, as I try to see what is happening.

"Brianna?" a familiar voice rings out. It can't be? I take a deep breath in before slowly crawling forward. I hold my breath before poking my head out a tiny bit. Bare feet. Human bare feet. Maybe it's safe? I poke myself out a little bit more and am immediately encircled by a strong set of arms. The clink of a sword being dropped is enough for me to know that I'm now safe. I cry into the shoulder of the High King as his arms tighten protectively around me. I feel a tear drop onto my head as he repositions me so I'm tucked under his chin. I grip onto his shirt and don't let go. I can't. I hear sniffles from behind me before I feel more arms wrap around me; this time from behind. "What were you doing? Running away?" Peter asks after a moment as he pulls away slightly, his grip loosening on me. I look up at his war driven face. His eyes are red and puffy. Is that from crying?

"I don't deserve to live in the castle. You're better off with another child,"I reply, hiding my head again.

"Oh, sweetheart, that's not true. We love you already," Ashley murmurs in my ear. I can hear her voice cracking slightly, the same as this morning.

"So you do want me to be your daughter still?" I say wiping away the tears. Ashley – or should I say mummy – grabs me in a death grip. Her arms encircling me. Her response now very obvious.

"Never do that to us again," Peter – or should I say father – commands. I smile slightly. They do want me, even after all the drama I caused this morning. "Let's head back to the castle."

Once we get back dad and mum take me straight upstairs, our family day beginning immediately. I notice excitedly the food set on our table and run over to it. I am quite hungry now after all that. After all, I didn't eat earlier.

"Brianna, you must wait for us," mother says as she stands behind her seat opposite me. She gestures with her hand for me to rise so I do. Father stands behind his chair at the end of the table before he begins to speak.

"At the dining hall there are a few steps that must be taken before you may eat. The High Queen takes a seat first, ladies always goes first," with this he gestures to mother, "before I take a seat." He now sits himself down. "Now you do." I nod once and sit down on the chair before reaching for a boiled egg.

"Brianna." I look back to mum with a sorry look, retracting my hand. I just want to eat. I am hungry!

"Sweetheart, you are not in trouble, we are simply teaching you what to do. Don't be upset; you don't know these things until we tell you." I smile at daddy.

"Okay," I murmur.

"Now, I always take the first bite of food whilst sitting at the table." With this he grabs a piece of toast and takes a bite. "Now you can eat," he tells me once he has swallowed his mouthful. I smile at all the food before digging into it. I've never eaten such good food before!

"Bree, sit up straight please. Manners are very important at the royal meals," mother tells me. I shuffle up on my seat. Like that I suppose? She sends me a smile to tell me I'm right. "Good job."

"Is there anything else?" Mother smiles at father before he shakes his head.

"You've got the basics – actually there is one more thing. Anything that happens up here stays up here otherwise we have issues arise like this morning. We do not discuss our personal life with anyone. Not everyone wants me on the throne, darling, some people will take any excuse they can to try and get me off of it. Understand?" I nod.

"Yes, father." He smiles before leaning over and kissing my head.

"Good." After we've all eaten, mother takes me over to my chamber where she picks out a yellow dress for me to wear. I put it on quickly before she ties my hair back in a pretty half-up half-down do. She then places a tiara on my head. It's gold – real gold – and encrusted with emeralds. I love my mummy already. And I know she loves me. We walk hand in hand back out into the main room where I see the two dryads again. They must've finished their duties for the morning. They both look at us as we enter. The older ones eyes shine at me as she gestures me over to her.

"Come to me, child. Let me have a look at you." I look at mother unsure of what to do. She won't hurt me will she?

"Go on, darling. She won't hurt you, I promise." It's like she read my mind. I very slowly begin walking over to her. I'm scared so I stand back a little.

"Closer, child." I look at daddy for clarification; he's already standing near them with Brenton in his arms. He reaches out for me, his hand open an invitation.

"You can stand with me if you're nervous." I glance at the dryad before making a quick dash over to him. I grab a hold of his hand in mine nervously.

"You are very pretty, young one. In fact, you look just like your mother when she was your age."

"My real mother?" I whisper.

"Nay, dear one, your new mother." I look behind me to Queen Ashley. Her long, dark hair and sparkling brown eyes.

"But I'm not related to her."

"No, you are quite right, you are not, but that doesn't mean you can't look like her." I let go of Peter's hand before taking a step forwards.

"I'll take it as a compliment then."

"Good because that's exactly what it is. Now, Your Majesties, I have gifts for your new daughter along with your beautiful babies. If you would allow me to bestow it upon them of course?"

"Absolutely. We would be honoured," my mother replies as I watch her take fathers hand in her own.

"Princess Brianna, face me." I turn back around to face the willowy dryad. Her voice sounds like the calmest ocean imaginable.

"Brianna Pevensie: arimanta, clendolite, forela; I bestow upon you the three gifts of grace, beauty, and intelligence. You are going to be a magnificent queen when the time comes. Always remember this. Even in your times of trials and hardships, you are destined for greatness." I curtsey before looking into her eyes. I trust this lady.

"Thank you." I don't know why, but I now feel like this is where I need to be. Not at the orphanage, but here, with my family.

"Your Majesties, bring me your next eldest." Father walks forwards with little Brenton. He's awake, smiling at the old dryad.

"Brenton Pevensie: sermonta, kerilimea, xervonen; I bestow upon you, child, the three gifts of power, might, and valiance. Do not stray, child." Father bows his head in respect before mother walks forwards with Annabella. She's also awake, although she's squirming a lot.

"Annabella Pevensie: heritnal, poneilar, sevnacol; I bestow upon you, daughter of the sea, the three gifts of virtue, patience, and honour. You will be admired throughout all the lands." Mother bows her head also; tears in her eyes.

"Thank you so much for this."

"Your Majesties, this age is the age of renewal. All through time it shall be known as the Golden Age. Use your time wisely and do not stray from Aslan no matter what happens." She turns to the other dryad then, the younger one. "We have other places to be. Come, sister, we must be off. Children, do not forget these gifts. They are precious and will be with you through your whole life." With that they're gone. Where? I am not too sure. All I know is that my mother and father look as though they've just been told that Christmas is never going to end. The smiles I hope are not going to leave their faces quickly. We now know that we have many more years to come and this is only the start. I will learn to be a good Queen. And I will follow the path that Aslan has created for me.

**Author's Note:**

> So for all of you who love this story, I am now in the process of writing a sequel! So keep me on author alert so you know when I post it. It probably won't be for a while since I've only just started writing it, but I promise it's something to look forward too!
> 
> Drop me a comment if you did love this story too! I always love to hear some feedback. And don't forget to kudos!
> 
> Thank you everyone once again for reading! My heart and soul went in to writing this story and it means the world to me that so many people have loved it - it might also make me write TKATS 2 faster. ;) Make sure also to put me on author alert if you enjoyed so you can see what other magical things I post from time to time and yeah, I think that's all.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Until next time and God Bless,
> 
> narnia and beareject fan 1 xoxo


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